


Kotov Syndrome

by Aetherdrive



Series: hq buddycop AUs [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Don't let the death tag scare you, Everything will work out in the end!, M/M, Minor Character Death, Slow Build, Synesthesia, little tiny bits of kinkuni and kyouyaha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 20:05:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 50,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3908884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aetherdrive/pseuds/Aetherdrive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Corruption is brewing in Seijou's police force. Oikawa Tooru, the captain of Special Investigations, is put onto a case where he cannot afford to fail.</p><p>But despite his best efforts, not everything goes according to plan.</p><p>A standalone fic in the buddycop AU series; reading the others isn't necessary if you'd just like to read this one!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> here we go, the iwaoi entry is finally here! I'll be aiming to update this every Friday or Saturday, though my health and job may make me a day or two late on occasion.
> 
> The first chapter is sort of a shorter introduction, but the other chapters will be longer. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story!

Iwaizumi Hajime figured he’d probably been a saint in a previous life.  
  
“Iwa-chan, I’m so _bored_. Entertain me!” Oikawa gave him his sunniest smile from the couch, and threw his arms in the air. “What’s for lunch? Let’s watch a movie together!”  
  
“I told you not to overwork yourself by taking a break from studying Russian, but it wasn’t an invitation to bother the crap out of me,” he grumbled as he walked to the kitchen. “Take a nap or something and leave me alone.”  
  
“You say that, but I totally know you’re going for the takeout menu on the fridge,” Oikawa replied in a singsong voice. “Ooh, how about an alien documentary, or something like that? It’s been forever since we’ve watched one together!”   
  
A moment later, before he’d even really had the chance to respond, Iwaizumi could hear the sound of the television from the living room as Oikawa flipped through channels. With a sigh, he opened his phone and placed an order before he grabbed a beer from the fridge and returned to the living room. He sat next to Oikawa as he opened it with one hand, and his roommate immediately scooted closer.  
  
“You didn’t even ask me what I wanted!” he said accusingly.  
  
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “We’ve known each other our entire lives, Oikawa. Like I don’t know what you’d order by now.” He glanced back at the television, and smiled a little despite himself. “We’ve seen this one at least twenty times. I’m pretty sure you know every damn line.”  
  
“So what?” Oikawa grinned. He plucked idly at the brace around his knee, and wiggled his ankle. “Iwa-chan, let me take these off. They’re annoying, and I don’t need them anymore! It’s my last day of bedrest!”  
  
“ _You’re_ annoying, but I still keep _you_ around, don’t I?”  
  
Oikawa gave him his best pout. “Mean!! And it doesn’t even make sense. I’m taking them off!”  
  
“Fine, but if you try walking around without your knee supporter, I’m tackling you into next week,” Iwaizumi replied casually as he sipped at his beer.  
  
Oikawa smiled as he slipped the ankle brace over his foot. “Are you my mom, Iwa-chan?”  
  
Iwaizumi glared at him as Oikawa tossed the brace onto the table in front of them. “Maybe if you weren’t so reckless, I wouldn’t have to be. I’m not the idiot that doesn’t know how to take a break with a bad knee and a busted ankle.”  
  
A frown marred Oikawa’s expression as he tapped his fingers against the white supporter on his knee. “Well, I couldn’t let that guy get away. Risk is part of our jobs, after all. Comes with the territory!” His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I just did what I had to, Iwa-chan.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he muttered. A week ago, Oikawa had sprained his ankle in a chase that lasted four kilometers on foot. He was picking up lunch when he spotted a suspect in a recent attempted murder, and was hurt when he finally managed to tackle the man.  
  
Iwaizumi was still kind of pissed about it.  
  
But when he looked over, Oikawa was staring at him, and his smile made his brown eyes almost glow with affection -- a genuine, warm expression that was usually only reserved for Iwaizumi in quiet moments like this one. “You’re so sweet, even if you never, ever admit it.” He laughed, and Iwaizumi could see the rich purple in his voice, warm and tinged with with magenta -- his favorite color in the world, the color of Oikawa’s happiness. “No wonder everyone’s so jealous of me at the office! Well,” he paused, and his eyes crinkled as his smile grew wider, “that, and my dashing good looks.”  
  
“Shut up,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he looked away, his cheeks faintly pink. “You’re so full of it.”  
  
“No way!” Oikawa protested. “Have you looked in a mirror lately? You might be the biggest grump in the city, but you’re a solid 8 out of 10!” He yelped when Iwaizumi punched him lightly in the arm, and pouted again. “Don’t be mean! We can’t all be 11 out of 10 like me--”  
  
Iwaizumi smacked him on the head, but grinned despite himself. “Hey, why don’t you shut up and watch your documentary, huh?”  
  
Oikawa stuck his tongue out, and then rolled over to stretch out over the length of the couch. His head ended up in Iwaizumi’s lap, and he smiled up at him before he turned to the television. “Now you’re trapped! Stay here and watch it with me!”  
  
“I wasn’t going anywhere,” Iwaizumi smiled. “And you’re gonna have to move when the food gets here.”  
  
With a satisfied hum, Oikawa snuggled closer. “I don’t care! I wanna cuddle with you, Iwa-chan. You’re so comfortable!”  
  
“You’re a spoiled brat,” Iwaizumi grinned as he gently ran his fingers through Oikawa’s hair. “You always have been, and you always will be.”  
  
Oikawa hummed and smiled up at him. “That’s right! But you love it, even if you pretend like you don’t!”  
  
“Don’t push your luck, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi said with a playful snarl as he mussed Oikawa’s hair. “Watch your dumb alien thing.”  
  
But Oikawa didn’t turn away. Iwaizumi felt like he was laid bare by the other man’s eyes, and even after so many years, he felt almost completely defenseless in the face of Oikawa’s genuine smile. The vulnerability and affection made his chest warm as Oikawa reached up, and touched his face with a sense of wonder.  
  
“What color is my voice?” he asked quietly.  
  
The warmth became more intense, and he felt the heat spread to his cheeks. But he couldn’t break away, despite the embarrassment; he felt caught, like something in his partner’s eyes was nearly hypnotic. “...Purple,” he mumbled. “Warm purple, and some magenta. But you already know that,” he said as he brushed a strand of hair from Oikawa’s face. “Because... you’re happy.”  
  
Oikawa hummed again, seemingly pleased with the answer. “I know. But it’s still so cool, Iwa-chan! Your ears are a like a mood detector!” His smile was so bright that Iwaizumi almost felt blinded. “Is that why it’s your favorite color?” he asked slyly.  
  
“No,” Iwaizumi said defensively. But the lie was flimsy at best, and one Oikawa could see right through -- he already knew the answer to the question, after all. “You ready to go back to work?” he asked in an attempt to change the subject. “Matsukawa won’t stop texting me. Shiratorizawa’s Special Investigations has been giving everyone a headache since you left.”  
  
Oikawa’s face darkened into a sour expression as he continued looking up at Iwaizumi. “Ushiwaka-chan needs to mind his own damn business,” he muttered.  
  
Iwaizumi nodded in agreement; a sickly yellow-orange edge had appeared in Oikawa’s voice, unpleasant and murky with anger and frustration. “They’re trying to get involved since they know there’s something rotten in Seijou’s PD now. Pretty sure Chief’s gonna make a move soon.” A wry smile tugged at his lips. “He’s probably gonna send you and me, if he does... Well. If he trusts us enough, anyway. Guess something like that’s pretty delicate.”  
  
“Oh, he trusts us,” Oikawa said with a smile. “But, Iwa-chan! That’d probably be such a serious case. Are you sure you’re up to it? If you work too hard, you’ll frown more, and you’ll get wrinkles!”  
  
Iwaizumi ruffled his hair and pinched the tip of his nose. “Oi, you’re one to warn me about working too hard. I’m not the guy with a brace on my ankle.”  
  
“It’s not on my ankle! It’s on the table,” Oikawa replied serenely.  
  
Iwaizumi’s eyebrow twitched, and he ignored him in favor of taking another sip of his beer. “Watch your show.”  
  
Oikawa settled in, and Iwaizumi continued to idly run his fingers through the other man’s hair until the doorbell rang. With a show of reluctance, Oikawa moved his head just enough to allow Iwaizumi to stand, and by the time his vice-captain had returned, Oikawa was sitting up with an expectant look on his face.  
  
“Stop giving me puppy eyes,” Iwaizumi chuckled as he plopped down on the couch and began sorting through the takeout bag. “Give me a second, okay?”  
  
“I wasn’t giving you puppy eyes! Don’t confuse my natural beauty with begging,” Oikawa said with a smile as he took a container of rice from his partner. He scooted much closer than necessary, and Iwaizumi could feel the warmth of his body pressed against his, even through their clothes. “Okay, documentary time!”  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” It was one that Oikawa had seen so many times that even Iwaizumi knew almost every single line of it -- but seeing the smile on his face and the warm purple of his voice made it worth suffering through it for the millionth time. Truth be told, Iwaizumi didn’t really mind all that much, if it meant seeing Oikawa genuinely happy --  
  
Especially when he knew there was a storm brewing in Aobajousai Metropolitan Police Department.  
  
 _No telling how far he’s gonna push himself if we get a big case, especially right after coming back from medical leave._ He sighed, and took another drink from his beer. _Might as well let him relax while he still can._  
  
An hour and a half later, it was nearly midnight, and when Iwaizumi nudged Oikawa, he realized he was sound asleep.  
  
“Hey,” he said gently. “Come on, at least go sleep on your bed.”  
  
Oikawa snuggled closer, and turned to blink up at him with a sleepy smile. “Are you gonna sleep with me, Iwa-chan? Otherwise, I think I’ll stay right here.”  
  
“Dammit -- fine. Let’s go.” He rolled his eyes as Oikawa sat up with a small laugh, but in truth, it wasn’t like he particularly minded. The occasional night where Oikawa insisted on sleeping beside each other was something he liked, even though he’d never admit it.  
  
Five minutes later, they were cozy underneath the blankets in Oikawa’s bed, and he could feel the captain’s warm legs tangle into his as Oikawa drew very, very close. His gaze was affectionate as he locked eyes with Iwaizumi, and his breath was warm as it tickled Iwaizumi’s cheeks, when the vice-captain became suddenly sure of something that he’d been suspecting for a while.  
  
 _He’s holding something back from me._ A tiny thought, laced with a miniscule hope came to life in the back of his mind. “Hey,” he whispered, “what are you thinking about?”  
  
A wry smile curved at the corners of Oikawa’s mouth. “What a romantic question,” he teased. “What do you _think_ I’m thinking?”  
  
“Don’t answer my question with a question,” he grumbled. “Are you hiding something from me?”  
  
Oikawa paused for just a second before replying. “Nothing important,” he insisted. He curled up closer, and Iwaizumi could feel the touch of the other man’s fingers, soft against his hip. “Why? Is there something _you’re_ hiding?” _Because I’m pretty sure I already know the answer is yes, and I know exactly what it is..._  
  
Iwaizumi flushed a little in the darkness as a thought slithered through his mind, tempting and weighed down by an old, familiar longing. _What would you do if I kissed you, right now? Is that what you want?_   But he held it back, and searched Oikawa’s eyes for an answer to his question. _What is he afraid of?_   “No,” he finally said, but the words echoed falsehood, and it was obvious to both of them.  
  
Oikawa’s smile didn’t fade, but Iwaizumi saw a hint of blue in his voice, sadness mixed with desire and understanding. “If you say so. Sweet dreams, and try not to snore too much, okay?”  
  
“Don’t worry, my snoring still isn’t as bad as yours,” he chuckled. “Try not to drool on me this time.”  
  
“I don’t drool!” he protested. “...Not that much, anyway,” he added sheepishly.   
  
Iwaizumi smiled, and tried to ignore the unpleasant feeling curling around his heart. “Yeah, right. Go to sleep.”  
  
Oikawa stuck his tongue out, and then closed his eyes before snuggling even closer and resting his face in the crook of Iwaizumi’s neck. For a moment, Iwaizumi hesitated, and then wrapped one arm around his partner’s waist before he finally relaxed and felt himself begin to drift off.  
  
 _I’ll make a move when the time is right,_ he promised himself as Oikawa’s hair tickled his nose. _Well... if he doesn’t beat me to it, anyway,_ he thought with a fond smile. _Once everything’s back to normal... maybe for his birthday in a month._ A pleasant warmth bloomed in his heart, and he had to resist the urge to reach up to touch his partner’s face. _I’ll make it extra special this year... the 25th anniversary of us meeting._  
  
He yawned, and shifted just a bit to get more comfortable as his thoughts became heavy with drowsiness. _And then... I’ll finally say it. Even if he already knows... he’s probably too worried to tell me first. But that’s all right..._   
  
Finally, his consciousness drifted away, and his dreams were pleasant and warm with the hopes he’d been holding deep inside of his heart for far too long.

* * *

“Hey, hurry up and eat this. Mattsun’s blowing up my phone with text messages, and apparently the Chief wants to talk to us.” Iwaizumi pushed a plate of breakfast into Oikawa’s hands as he downed the rest of his coffee, and Oikawa began to eat.  
  
“Your cooking is as salty as your personality!” he said with a sunny smile. On cue, Iwaizumi smacked him on the side of the head, and Oikawa laughed with delight. “Thanks for proving me right, Iwa-chan!”  
  
“Finish eating before I shove the rest of that in your face,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he straightened his tie. “The sooner we get to the office, the better. I want to get the car ride over with.”  
  
“Aw, what’s so bad about the drive in?” Oikawa asked after he swallowed another bite. “Surely you’re not talking about my lovely music!”  
  
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “That’s _exactly_ what I’m talking about, actually. Come on, get moving.” He rinsed his mug out in the sink, and grabbed his keys from the counter after slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Waiting on you, as usual.”  
  
Quickly, Oikawa shoveled the rest of his food in his mouth and chewed it as he rinsed his dishes. He followed his partner outside a moment later, and stretched with a theatrical yawn as they made their way towards the elevator. “Iwa-chan,” he said with another, but quieter yawn, “when do you want to start working out with me again?”  
  
“You’re not doing anything but lifting weights for at least two more weeks,” Iwaizumi said sternly as they left the elevator and walked through the quiet lobby. It was only just past six in the morning, and completely silent and empty aside from the two of them. “If you hurt yourself again as soon as you get back, I won’t be the only person that’s gonna be pissed off.”  
  
“Aw, are you worried about me?” Oikawa asked teasingly as he held the front door open.  
  
Iwaizumi just sighed. “It’s way too early for your bullshit, Oikawa. Of course I am. Running the department sucks without you.”  
  
Oikawa pouted, but smiled a little at the teasing glint in his partner’s eyes. “Iwa-chan, that’s terrible. I know that’s not the only reason you’re concerned. You care about me! That’s so cute!”  
  
A grin spread over Iwaizumi’s expression as he dug the car keys out of his pocket. “Duh. We’ve been friends forever, _unfortunately_. Of course I do.” He unlocked the door and climbed inside, and Oikawa got into the passenger seat. Fast as lightning, he buckled his seatbelt and hooked his phone up to the speaker system as Iwaizumi started the car.  
  
“Try to play something that isn’t as annoying as you are,” Iwaizumi laughed as he pulled out of the parking spot. A moment later, loud bubblegum pop began to blare through the sound system, and Oikawa met his glare with a happy wink.  
  
“Nicki Minaj isn’t _annoying_ , she’s an _artist_ ,” Oikawa insisted with a dramatic sigh. “But fine... have it your way! I’ll play something more suited to your mood.” With a few touches to his screen, the music abruptly changed -- to soul-searing heavy metal, full of drums, electric guitar, and guttural vocals.  
  
Iwaizumi’s hand shot out to pull the audio cord from the sound system, but Oikawa smacked his arm away. “Tsk tsk! Safety first, both hands on the wheel!” he teased. “Ooh, you’re being extra picky this morning, aren’t you?”  
  
“What’s that? ‘Iwa-chan, I really want you to kick my ass’?” he shot back, in a poor imitation of Oikawa’s voice. “Sure, don’t mind if I do.”  
  
“So mean! Okay, okay, here. I’ll serenade you with my beautiful voice,” Oikawa grinned. A few more taps to his phone, and a soft instrumental track began to play; a moment later, he began to softly sing.  
  
Iwaizumi found it difficult to even pretend to be aggravated with the colors of Oikawa’s voice in his eyes and ears, soft and soothing and entirely too beautiful. He continued without pause as Iwaizumi carefully drove through the streets in the quiet darkness of the early morning, and only stopped when they finally pulled into their spot in the police department’s parking garage.  
  
“How was that?” Oikawa asked with a gentle, knowing smile.  
  
Iwaizumi leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the fading notes of color behind his eyelids. “Don’t fish for compliments,” he muttered.  
  
Oikawa’s smile grew brighter, and he laughed a little as he got out of the car and stretched. “The start of a brand new day! All right.” He hoisted his bag a little higher on his shoulder, and Iwaizumi could see the glint of an edge in his eyes and voice. “Let’s get going and see what’s been happening in the department, then.”

* * *

“Yo,” Matsukawa greeted as the two of them walked into the Special Investigations office. “Nice seeing you again.” He was the only person in the room aside from his partner, Hanamaki. “Nobody else is here yet.”  
  
“Ooh. Well, it is still very early. Did everyone miss me?” Oikawa asked brightly. “I know it must have been terrible without your captain around, right?” He plopped his bag down on a chair, and sat in a chair at the long desk in the center of the room before spinning around. “Well, have no fear! I’m back, and ready to hear your complaints.”  
  
“Well,” Matsukawa began with a strained, quiet laugh, “an officer suspected of accepting bribes died late last night, along with some guy he was probably getting money from.” Oikawa’s playful demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by something intense and analytical. “They shot themselves. Or at least, that’s how it _looks_. That’s, uh... the third officer in the last six months, and the fifth suspected criminal.” He tossed Oikawa a file, and shrugged. “‘Course, none of us really think it was suicide. Chief’s not happy, either.”  
  
“He wants you two to go see him at 8,” Hanamaki said helpfully as Oikawa looked over the papers in the file, and Iwaizumi peered over his shoulder. “It’s kind of reached a boiling point, now. We don’t know if he wants you to check out what happened last night, or... you know, the whole thing in general.” He shrugged uncomfortably. “And Shiratorizawa’s been a pain.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes narrowed, and he looked up from the papers he was reading for just a moment. “Ushiwaka-chan’s been sticking his nose in our business, hmm?” He looked back down at the file, and there was an old, familiar resentment at the edge of his voice. “Well, we definitely can’t have that, now can we?”  
  
Iwaizumi crossed his arms, and kept peering over Oikawa’s shoulder. “Wonder what his angle is in all this. Seijou’s business rarely spills over to their area anyway, so what the hell is his problem?” He squinted a little, and sighed. “Well, we don’t personally know the cop that died, at least. Small comfort.”  
  
Oikawa nodded. “True, true! But I’d like to take care of this before someone we _do_ know gets wrapped up in all this, hmm?” He laughed, but there was no mirth in it. “Well, if that’s what the Chief wants to talk to us about, anyway! Or... maybe even if it isn’t,” he said with a glimmer in his eye. “But I’m sure if we ask nicely enough, he’d see reason.”  
  
“I’m pretty sure you won’t have to try too hard,” Hanamaki said as he walked over to the coffee pot. “This double suicide has everyone in the force talking. I mean... the underhanded stuff going on inside the police department has already been a hot topic for a while,” he said as he tapped his fingers against his mug. “But now...”  
  
“Everyone’s gonna want somebody to actually do something about it, instead of pretending like nothing is wrong,” Iwaizumi said. “Yeah, I think you’re right. Ugh, this is gonna be a huge pain in the ass.”  
  
Oikawa smiled. “And probably dangerous, too!”  
  
Iwaizumi glared at him. “Don’t sound so excited about that, Shittykawa. You’re already too damn reckless. Don’t make my job any harder than it is.”  
  
With an airy laugh, Oikawa ruffled his hair, and ducked the return smack that Iwaizumi aimed at his head. “Don’t you worry, Iwa-chan! I’ll be good. Or at least, I’ll try to be.” His smile was vaguely eerie, edged in dangerous promise. “I’ll only do what’s necessary.”  
  
Iwaizumi sighed, and sat down beside him. _Yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of._

* * *

“Irihata-san?”  
  
“Ah, Oikawa and Iwaizumi. It’s good to see you again, Detectives. Especially you, Oikawa-kun.” The Chief of Police clasped his hands together on his desk and smiled as the two sat down in front of him; to the side, the vice-chief was typing away at his laptop. “Please try to be a little more careful in the future. Mizoguchi and I -- and this entire force -- need you, but especially now.”  
  
The vice chief nodded in agreement. “Yeah. We’ve got something big for you.” He looked up, and sighed. “Way worse than the guy you got a week of medical leave for tackling.”  
  
“Ooh, is that so?” He smiled, and his eyes almost glittered with excitement. “This wouldn’t happen to have something to do with that double suicide, would it?”  
  
“That’s only a small part of it,” Irihata sighed. “I want you to investigate those deaths, but even more importantly, I want you to get to the root of the corruption in our police force. It’s gone on for too long, and I’m certain there must be one or two people pulling the strings.”  
  
Iwaizumi shifted a little in his chair, and leaned forward. “So you’re putting us in charge of it. Usually I’d just go ahead and do it, but I figure I should ask -- considering the nature of this whole thing, is it all right if we get help from other members of Special Investigations?”  
  
“Use your own judgement for that,” Mizoguchi said. “You’ve been working closely with almost everyone in that unit for years now. If you trust them, then go for it. Just be wary of the consequences.” He rubbed at his eyes, clearly exhausted. “The last thing we need is for you to trust the wrong people and end up getting yourselves killed.”  
  
Oikawa looped an arm around Iwaizumi’s shoulders, and gave the chief and vice chief a brilliant smile. “Don’t you worry! Iwa-chan and I have this all under control. We’ll start right away!”  
  
Mizoguchi gave him an exasperated look, and sighed. “Okay. There’s just one thing I want you to know before you dive in, all right? Listen up.” He took a deep breath, and his expression became more serious than Oikawa had ever seen. “We have a possible lead for the person that may be leading all of this.”  
  
Oikawa leaned forward. “Ohh? And who might that be, Vice Chief-san?”  
  
Mizoguchi didn’t look amused. “The captain of Shiratorizawa Special Investigations, 1st Unit -- Ushijima Wakatoshi.”

* * *

_to be continued in Chapter 2_

 


	2. Chapter 2

Mizoguchi’s voice echoed in Oikawa’s mind amidst a swirl of ideas and anxious thoughts.  
  
 _Ushijima has proven himself over and over to be devious and ruthless when it comes to his work. He is considered the best detective for hundreds of kilometers around for a reason, and he’s been getting in our way more and more recently. He never tells us why he’s gotten so damn curious. But I’m sick of it, and I think I’m not the only one that’s gotten suspicious._ His face had been serious, and left no room for joking or snide remarks. _So I think he might have something to do with it, especially since he almost immediately showed up at that double suicide scene last night. But be careful -- because if he is responsible, he’s gonna make a hell of an opponent._  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi said quietly as they walked into the elevator together. “It’s too early for you to already be getting lost in your own head. Get that look off of your face.”  
  
Oikawa smiled back at him, but it was slightly forced and didn’t hide the stubborn gleam in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’m just going over everything the vice chief told us, Iwa-chan.” A hazy yellow clung to the edges of the sound, and Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes. “Besides, this is a big deal, isn’t it? We’ve got to give our very best!”  
  
“We can give our best without you pushing yourself too hard. Don’t burn yourself out or get hurt, all right? If you end up in the hospital again, I’ll kick your ass,” he grumbled.  
  
“You have such a funny way of showing you care,” Oikawa said serenely. Iwaizumi glared at him, and he held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Okay, okay! Don’t make such a sour face! I promise I’ll get at least six hours of sleep a night, and keep tackling to a minimum.”  
  
“At least eight hours of sleep, smartass. You need your rest.” He watched Oikawa from the corner of his eyes, and couldn’t stop the concern that bled into his voice. “And try to leave the tackling to me, if you can. We’re gonna need you to the end on this one.”  
  
Oikawa hummed in response. “My knight in shining kevlar,” he said with a smile. “Thanks, Iwa-chan.”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his chest warm at the genuine warmth in Oikawa’s voice, and the feeling mixed with a rising concern in the back of his mind. “Yeah, yeah,” he replied, “just be careful.” But he couldn’t help the tiny smile that quirked at the corners of his mouth, and Oikawa’s eyes crinkled with fondness as he caught the miniscule expression.  
  
They continued on in comfortable silence, and waved at the occasional officer or staff member as they made their way through the halls together. By the time they returned to their office, Yahaba and Kunimi had both arrived and were sitting at the table with Matsukawa and Hanamaki.  
  
“So, what’s the verdict?” Matsukawa asked as Oikawa stretched out on the couch.  
  
Iwaizumi shoved his legs aside so he could sit, and Oikawa pouted before he turned to the other detective. “Just like we predicted, Mattsun! A super-secret investigation of the double suicide _and_ the corruption in general.” He held a finger up to his lips in a shushing motion. “We’re not supposed to talk about it, but I want to ask all four of you for help anyway. You know how to keep secrets, right?”  
  
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “We’re gonna need to do a lot of intel, and we need people we can trust. You in?”  
  
“Duh,” Hanamaki laughed. “Just tell us what to do, and we’ll do it.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile took on a predatory edge. “Now that’s what I like to hear.” He pointed at Yahaba. “Let’s start by pulling up records on everyone in Seijou and Shiratorizawa’s police departments! We can comb through the data for people that’ve gotten into shady business. Split the workload between all four of you so it goes by faster!” He leaned over to ruffle Iwaizumi’s hair, and his partner promptly dodged and smacked him on the head. “Meanwhile, we’ll set a patrol of two regular officers near Shiratorizawa’s district at night, and Iwa-chan and I can go investigate that double suicide that has everyone talking!”  
  
“We can give you some info on it, Oikawa-san!” Yahaba said brightly. “Forensics finished up a while ago. Do you want me to go get the files before I start the other stuff?”  
  
Oikawa flashed him a peace sign. “Yes! Thanks, Yahaba-chan!” Yahaba nodded and sprinted out of the room, and Oikawa turned back to Iwaizumi with a clap of his hands. “Okay! Let’s get to the bottom of this. First: a coffee break!”  
  
Iwaizumi grinned. “All right, I guess we do need to wait on that file anyway. Let’s get lunch, too, before you get too involved.”  
  
“Okay, okay! I’ll place the order this time,” he said with a smile. “Does anyone else want anything?”  
  
“It’s almost creepy how well you two communicate,” Hanamaki laughed. “We don’t even know where you’re ordering from. Wanna clue us in before we answer that question?”  
  
Iwaizumi didn’t look impressed. “Listen, if you suffered 25 years with this guy, you’d become fluent in Oikawa-speak too.”  
  
Oikawa gave him his best pout as he opened up his cellphone. “ _Suffered!_ Iwa-chan, that’s so rude. Are you being shy? Well, that’s okay, we all know how much you enjoy being around me--” He laughed, and then yelped as Iwaizumi elbowed him in the side. “Hey, play nice!”  
  
“Hey, Yahaba’s gonna be back soon. Save the lover’s spat for later and tell us where you’re ordering from,” Matsukawa grinned.  
  
Iwaizumi turned a little pink as Oikawa’s musical, purple-blue laughter filled the air, and for just a moment, the sound made him forget his anxieties about the case they’d just been assigned.

* * *

Two hours later, they’d eaten an early lunch and gone over several files before they left to begin their investigation.  
  
“You know, we should probably wear bulletproof vests until we close this case,” Iwaizumi said as Oikawa started the car. “Just to be on the safe side.”  
  
“Ooh, good point,” Oikawa replied as he carefully pulled out of the garage. “Hmm, but ours are so old! Let’s get new ones! It won’t do if they’ve expired, after all!”  
  
Iwaizumi looked thoughtful, and he cringed as someone honked at a passing truck; the noise was bright yellow and blue, clashing and searing to his eyes. _Annoying._ “Yeah, that’s true. I wanna be careful ordering them, though. Can’t run the risk of someone tampering with them, if they know we’re working the case and have the authority to screw with our business without us knowing it.”  
  
“Ooh, that’s my Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said with a pleased smile. “Always one step ahead.” He stopped at a red light, and took the opportunity to glance over at his partner. An indigo crept into his voice, and it gave Iwaizumi a slight chill as his serious tone made his eyes just a little cold with fear. “You told me to be careful, but I want you to promise me that you’ll do the same thing. Okay, Hajime?”  
  
“...Yeah.” The words stuck in his throat a little; it wasn’t often that Oikawa managed to catch him off guard. “Yeah, I promise.”  
  
“Yay!” The indigo was gone, replaced by a purple-orange. “Let’s crack this case wide open and show Ushiwaka-chan who he’s dealing with!”   
  
_He’s already on edge,_ Iwaizumi thought as the light changed and Oikawa began to drive again. _Not that I can really blame him._

* * *

Their eyes were sharp as they both carefully stepped around broken glass. The abandoned shack near the docks had long ago fallen into disrepair, and the air was musty with the scent of mildew and wet, rotting wood.  
  
“Good place to do bad business,” Iwaizumi muttered. He scanned the area, and a moment later, Oikawa pointed to a corner of the room with a broken, dusty chair.  
  
“That’s where it happened,” he said. His voice had taken on a serious, no-nonsense edge. “See the blood?” Twin crimson splatters were streaked across the floorboards, and flecks of blood had made it to the chair and wall as well. Oikawa opened the file in his hands, and then glanced back at the spot where two men had died not twelve hours earlier. “...Alleged double suicide. The officer had been accepting bribes from the other victim to look the other way during burglaries in the area, some of which resulted in injury.” His eyes narrowed as he studied the bloodstains on the floor. “Something doesn’t add up.”  
  
Iwaizumi sighed. “Yeah. Doesn’t make any damn sense. Way too extreme, even if they were about to get caught.”  
  
“Seems like we might have a vigilante on our hands,” Oikawa agreed. He glanced around the room, and tapped his fingers against the file in his hands. “Maybe this isn’t connected to the general corruption problem. Misguided good intentions?”  
  
A scowl darkened Iwaizumi’s face. “So you’re saying someone might be trying to fix the problem themselves. By killing the people responsible.”  
  
Oikawa smiled, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. So our biggest issue is finding out if someone’s taken it upon themselves to play judge, jury and executioner all in one. But...” He shrugged. “It’s not the only possibility.”  
  
Iwaizumi nodded, and crossed his arms. “Maybe... the cop was working with whoever killed both of them. Maybe something went wrong.”  
  
“Exactly. So maybe it’s a lone vigilante, or... maybe it’s a ruthless leader thinning the herd.” He flipped through the photos in the file, and read over some of the information. “We need more data, unfortunately! A messy case requires a delicate and thorough touch, don’t you think?” His smile became just a little lopsided, and the yellow at the edge of his voice made Iwaizumi slightly uneasy. “We’ll need more info about our unpleasantly dead officer, as well as Shiratorizawa’s prolific dark knight.”  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi said warningly, “I know they said he might be involved in this, and investigating that angle is important, but don’t let yourself get blinded by a single possibility. He’s an asshole, but we don’t know if it’s his fault for sure.”  
  
“Of course, Iwa-chan! What do you take me for?” Oikawa asked with a cavalier smile. “This is no time to play around! As if I’d let something like a petty grudge get in the way of such an important case.” His eyes gleamed with determination and a hint of resentment. “But if Ushiwaka-chan is involved... well, then it’s my job to take him down, isn’t it?”  
  
The words brought Iwaizumi little comfort as Oikawa flipped through the file once again while humming to himself. A moment later, he stopped when his phone vibrated with an incoming message.  
  
“Oh! Mattsun says they found out a whole bunch of stuff about the dead officer,” Oikawa said happily. “Including his bank records!”  
  
“Oh, good. Let’s get the hell out of here, then. It’s creepy,” Iwaizumi grumbled.  
  
“And it smells _terrible!_ Kind of like your personality!” Oikawa agreed. He laughed as he ducked Iwaizumi’s half-hearted smack to the side of his head. “Come on! I’ll even let you pick the music on the drive back!”  
  
“You say that like I wasn’t gonna just play whatever I wanted anyway,” Iwaizumi grinned. He hooked an arm around Oikawa’s shoulders, and playfully ruffled his hair. “How about you let me decide on the music more than once every blue moon, huh? How does _that_ sound?”  
  
“Anything sounds good, if you stop messing up my hair!” Oikawa whined as he struggled in Iwaizumi’s grasp.  
  
Iwaizumi chuckled. “Oh, you don’t need my help with that,” he said as he finally let the captain go. Without looking back, he made a beeline for the door. “C’mon, seriously, let’s get out of here. This place is starting to freak me out a little.”  
  
Oikawa smiled as he followed him outside. “Ooh, are you scared, Iwa-chan? Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!”  
  
“Well, hopefully you won’t need to,” he muttered. Some of the dread in his heart was eased as warm sunlight poured over his skin. “And hopefully, I won’t have to protect you either.”  
  
Oikawa’s laughter was quiet. “Hey, don’t be so dramatic, Iwa-chan. Having each others’ backs is part of the job, right?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. I just... don’t like the idea of you being in danger,” he admitted quietly. Even the afternoon warmth couldn’t thaw the sudden chill in his heart. “This case could get really nasty. And I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
  
Oikawa was quiet for a moment, and when Iwaizumi looked up, he was treated to one of his partner’s rare, genuine smiles. “Don’t worry too much. We’re together, so we’ll be fine,” he said reassuringly. His eyes glowed in the sunlight, and it nearly took Iwaizumi’s breath away. “Now, come on!” he continued, his demeanor just a little brighter, more like his usual self. “If you don’t get to the car first, I’m picking the music!”  
  
“What? Hey!” Oikawa had already started running back towards their unmarked car, and Iwaizumi began to chase him. “Hey, Shittykawa, warn me next time! And like hell I’m gonna let you pick it again!”  
  
Oikawa’s laughter was light in the air as he slowed down and let Iwaizumi reach the car first. The triumphant smile on the shorter man’s face faded when Oikawa surprised him by reaching forward -- a moment later, he found himself held in a warm, close embrace.  
  
“I’ll keep you safe, Iwa-chan,” he said with a quiet, serene smile.  
  
Iwaizumi’s cheeks felt warm. “Shut up and get in the car,” he muttered.  
  
The drive home was unusually quiet, even with the progressive rock Iwaizumi had chosen blaring through the speakers. Oikawa hummed along, purposely off-key but with a cheerful expression.  
  
And yet, Iwaizumi still couldn’t shake the small, nagging fear in the very back of his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

* * *

The days felt far, far too long.  
  
Even with Iwaizumi strictly insisting that Oikawa worked a maximum of twelve hours a day (because he knew that otherwise, the man would push himself to the brink of collapse), time seemed to drag on, with Seijou’s Special Investigations adrift in an endless sea of reports, spreadsheets, and paperwork.  
  
Five days after they’d been assigned the case, Iwaizumi came back into the office to find Oikawa passed out on the couch, with his laptop balanced precariously on his chest.  
  
“Hey, wake up. Let’s go home,” Iwaizumi said gruffly as he gently shook his shoulder. “Come on.” Oikawa yawned, and opened his mouth to say something, but Iwaizumi stopped him by holding up a hand. “Seriously, don’t even argue with me. If you’re tired enough to pass out like this, you don’t need to be here. The case can wait.”  
  
Oikawa sighed theatrically as he closed his computer and sat up. At the table, Hanamaki and Matsukawa both laughed into their lukewarm cups of coffee.  
  
“Mom’s orders, Captain,” Hanamaki said behind his mug. His eyes crinkled up in silent laughter when Iwaizumi glared at him. “Come on, don’t keep your Prince Charming waiting.”  
  
Iwaizumi’s scowl grew deeper. “If you’re gonna be embarrassing, at least don’t use the same pet names you use on Mattsun. It’s weird.”  
  
Matsukawa blushed a little, but he and Hanamaki were both smiling. “Oh, you’ve heard him call me that?”  
  
“Only about a million times!” Oikawa answered with a bright smile. “It’s a good thing you’re more discreet with your work than your love life! I’m surprised you’re such good undercover agents!” He ducked a crumpled up paper ball that Hanamaki aimed at his head, laughing the entire time. “Hey, be nice! That’s not very gentlemanly behavior, especially not in front of your darling Prince Charming! For _shame!”_  
  
“I’ll give you a really nice massage tonight if the next one hits him in the face,” Matsukawa told Hanamaki with a wide grin.  
  
Fast as lightning, Hanamaki sent another paper ball sailing through the air, and Oikawa yelped in surprise as it hit him right on the nose. “ _Rude_ , Makki-chan! Shouldn’t you be giving him massages without assaulting me as a prerequisite anyways?!”  
  
“Hey, he has a point,” Hanamaki said teasingly. “What gives?”  
  
“Don’t look at me like that, I gave you one three days ago,” Matsukawa protested. “Knock it off, Oikawa, you’re a bad influence.”  
  
Oikawa gave him his best pout. “What a terrible thing to say to your beloved captain! Can you believe this, Iwa-chan?”  
  
“Seriously, Mattsun, you can do better than that. Be a little meaner. I’m a great example.”  
  
“No, Iwa-chan, that was _not_ what I meant!” Oikawa whined. “You’re the worst!”  
  
Iwaizumi smiled, and ruffled his hair; Oikawa stuck his tongue out in response. “Come on, let’s go home,” the vice captain insisted. “We can pursue leads tomorrow when you’re not dead on your feet. Don’t give me a hard time.” He very pointedly ignored the knowing looks he got from Matsukawa and Hanamaki as he grabbed onto his partner’s arm and began to lean him from the room before he could even begin to protest. “See you all tomorrow.”  
  
“But you’re supposed to be off tomorrow, Iwaizumi-san,” Yahaba said.  
  
Iwaizumi shook his head. “I can barely stop this guy from working eighteen hours a day as it is. Now that we’ve got someone to interview, I know he’d whine nonstop until he actually got to talk to him. So we’ll take Monday off instead.” He used his free hand to idly wave behind him without looking back. “See ya. Don’t let Kyotani blow anything up.”  
  
Once the door shut behind them, the two partners were both silent as they made their way back to the elevator. When the metal doors slid shut, Iwaizumi pushed the button for the ground floor and sighed as he slumped against the wall.  
  
“Look, I’m not pissed at you or anything, and I know you wanna get this taken care of as fast as possible. But I know you well enough to know that you push yourself way too hard sometimes, too, especially when Ushiwaka’s involved.” He crossed his arms, and watched the floor numbers on the display steadily count down. “It’s pretty much a given that you look out for all of us. But right now, I’m looking out for you. That’s all.”  
  
The doors opened, and Iwaizumi walked out; Oikawa followed close behind, quiet but thoughtful.  
  
“You always look out for me, Iwa-chan.”  
  
The words were rich and violet in his eyes, and for a moment, Iwaizumi felt like his heart was beating just a little too fast as he processed the sentence in his mind. When he looked over, Oikawa’s smile was there to greet him, warm and genuine despite the obvious fatigue weighing him down. “Don’t look so surprised!” he grinned. “Come on, let’s go back! I’m gonna make you watch a movie with me!”  
  
“Heh. Yeah, okay.” Iwaizumi’s smile seemed to catch Oikawa off-guard, just as much as the captain had stunned him not a moment earlier. “Hey, take your own advice. Don’t look so surprised.”  
  
He hesitated for a moment, and linked his hand with Oikawa’s. For a few seconds, he pointedly avoided looking at him; but when he finally gave in to his curiosity and looked over, he was treated to the warmest, happiest smile he’d ever seen on the other man’s face.  
  
And it took his breath away.  
  
A light flush spilled over Oikawa’s cheeks, and he turned his gaze away to stare ahead, embarrassed and somewhat flustered. But the soft, pleased smile still curled at his lips, and Iwaizumi’s heart skipped a beat when he realized his friend had never looked so beautiful before.  
  
They were silent the rest of the way to the car, but their hands stayed together until they had no choice to separate. And even as Iwaizumi put his hands on the wheel, he could still feel the tingle in his palm where Oikawa’s fingers had gently brushed against his skin.

* * *

“So, tomorrow we’ll talk to Ito Daiki.”  
  
Oikawa’s voice was edged in blue. Iwaizumi grabbed a beer from the refrigerator, and sat down beside him on the couch. The captain looked pensive; Iwaizumi promptly flicked him on the head.  
  
“Hey. I brought you home so you could relax, not continue to work.” He stared down at his hands, and sighed. “You’re not the only one frustrated with it, you know. Especially the stuff with Ushiwaka. Getting dirt on him is proving to be a real pain in the ass.” He opened the can in his hands, took a sip, and closed his eyes for a moment. “But at least we got the interview you wanted.”  
  
Oikawa flopped over on his side, and his head landed in Iwaizumi’s lap. “Iwa-chan, do you want to talk to him?”  
  
“What? No. I’ll probably just scare the poor bastard.” Idly, he ran his hands through Oikawa’s hair; something that had become a habit neither of them had yet to verbally address. “He’s been locked up for what... four years?”  
  
“That’s right,” Oikawa replied with a hum. “For corrupt activity that he swears he was framed for.” His eyes fell closed, and a small, blissful smile spread over his features. “Iwa-chan... if you keep touching me like that, I’ll fall asleep before we can watch anything.”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his heart skip a beat. “So what? Win-win situation for me. I brought you home to rest anyway, _and_ I won’t have to suffer through whatever shitty movie you pick out? Sounds like a plan.”  
  
“So mean,” Oikawa mumbled quietly. His entire body relaxed, and Iwaizumi found himself having to resist the suddenly overpowering urge to kiss his best friend.   
  
_When the time is right,_ he reminded himself sternly. “Hey,” he said gently, “sleep in your bed, at least.”  
  
“Mmm. Okay... but only if you sleep with me again,” Oikawa replied with a serene smile. “You’re so cuddly, Iwa-chan!”  
  
Iwaizumi didn’t even try to resist the suggestion; his self-control was already in tatters from having Oikawa’s head warm in his lap beneath his hands.  “You’re so spoiled,” he muttered. “Come on, get up.”  
  
“That didn’t sound like a _no_ ,” Oikawa replied with a smile.  
  
“Probably because it _wasn’t_ one. Go brush your teeth before I change my mind.”  
  
Oikawa sat up and skipped to the bathroom, laughing the entire way. Iwaizumi finished his beer and put the can with their recycling, then let himself into Oikawa’s room where he quickly changed into his pajamas that he'd left there from a previous night. He ran into Oikawa as he left the room to brush his own teeth, and looked away as his stomach flipped at the sleepy, pleased smile that was on Oikawa’s face.  
  
_Too beautiful, even when he's tired,_ he thought.  _Not fair._ He quickly brushed his teeth and rinsed his face before going back to the bedroom, where his partner was already curled up under the covers and looking at him expectantly.  
  
“Iwa-chan, you took _forever_! Come _on_ ,” Oikawa said teasingly.   
  
With a roll of his eyes, Iwaizumi climbed under the blankets, and a moment later he had an arm full of his best friend as Oikawa shamelessly snuggled up to him. “You’re so needy,” he grumbled with no real ire.  
  
“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t mind,” Oikawa mumbled happily against his shirt. “Mm, you smell so good!”  
  
“I smell the same way I always do,” Iwaizumi replied a bit incredulously.  
  
Oikawa’s smile was content as his eyes slipped shut. “Then that means you always smell good!” he said happily. “Hey, touch my hair again. Feels...” He yawned, and snuggled closer to Iwaizumi; his nose was gently tickling the vice captain’s cheek. “Feels nice.”  
  
“You’re lucky you’re so cute,” Iwaizumi said with a smile as he ran his fingers through Oikawa’s hair. But Oikawa didn’t reply; the other man seemed to have already fallen asleep, completely exhausted from the last several days of work. For a while, Iwaizumi just kept touching his hair, but several minutes later he felt himself beginning to grow drowsy as well.  
  
A burst of reckless confidence gave him an idea, and before he could convince himself not to, he leaned forward just enough to press a quick, gentle kiss against Oikawa’s forehead. Cheeks burning, he burrowed into the blankets, and got comfortable before finally drifting off to sleep.  
  
Beside him, a soft smile curved at Oikawa’s lips.

* * *

Oikawa was already showered, dressed, and reading his emails by the time Iwaizumi got out of bed at five in the morning.  
  
“When did you wake up?” Iwaizumi asked as he took a seat at the kitchen table.  
  
Oikawa pushed a plate of reheated leftovers and a mug of hot coffee towards him. “Around four!” he replied brightly. “I decided to study a little Russian, since I didn’t get the chance to yesterday. And I read a few articles in other languages, too!”  
  
Iwaizumi rubbed his eyes. “Is it any wonder Ushiwaka wants you to transfer to Shiratorizawa’s PD so badly when you speak twice as many languages as any of the translators?”  
  
“Ooh, compliment me more!” Oikawa laughed. His eyes held an unhappy edge to them. “I don’t care, anyway. Ushiwaka-chan just wants someone that he can use as another pawn to make himself look good, and that’s not why I became a detective.” He dumped another spoonful of sugar into his coffee, took a sip, and smiled. “Seijou’s my home. And it always will be.”  
  
Iwaizumi swallowed a mouthful of food, and washed it down with a gulp of coffee. “Damn right.”

* * *

When they arrived at the office just a little before 7, Hanamaki and Matsukawa were already there.  
  
“‘Morning,” Iwaizumi said as he set his bag down on the table. “Did Mattsun give you that massage last night?” he asked with a grin.  
  
“You bet,” Hanamaki smiled. “I should throw things at Oikawa more often.”  
  
Oikawa crossed his arms and gave them his best pout. “No!! That’s the _opposite_ of what you should do! Mattsun, be a good boyfriend, and give Makki-chan massages whenever he wants them.”  
  
Matsukawa leaned back in his chair with his arms behind his head. “Hey, I already do that. I would’ve totally given him one without the throwing stuff. That was just a bonus.”  
  
“See, Makki-chan? You don’t have to-- _ack!”_  
  
Hanamaki grinned as the paper ball hit Oikawa in the mouth. “I might not _have_ to, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun.”  
  
“So mean! You’ve become twice as nasty since you started dating,” Oikawa whined.  
  
“I’ll say,” Matsukawa smirked. “He did this thing last night with his--”  
  
“Okay, stop right there, or _I’ll_ be the one throwing things,” Iwaizumi said quickly. “Oikawa might want to hear that kind of shit, but count me out. Wait until I go to the bathroom or something.”  
  
“Aw, you’re no fun,” Hanamaki laughed. “Anyway, relax for a bit. You’ve still got a couple hours before you interview our little jailbird, right? And we can talk about some of the data that we managed to find since yesterday. Which... isn’t much, to be fair. But still.”  
  
Oikawa spun in his chair. “Ooh, spill the beans! Even if there aren’t that many.”  
  
Hanamaki opened a few files on his computer, and leaned back. “Well, finding info on Ushiwaka is as annoying as ever. At a glance, his record seems spotless. He’s got a reputation for being kind of an ice-cold leader, but that’s not really enough to arrest someone for murder.”  
  
“We’ve had more luck finding out stuff about Seijou, but I guess that’s to be expected,” Matsukawa added. “Got a whole list put together of police deaths, incarcerations, and accusations that went unpunished in our precinct in the last ten years. And, uh... there’s a lot.”  
  
Iwaizumi took his laptop out of his bag, and moved to plug it in. “And I’m guessing Ito Daiki is on the list, right?”  
  
“Yep,” Hanamaki replied. “Put behind bars for smuggling drugs and killing his partner, as well as two of the gang members he was supposedly working with. He says he didn’t do it, though.” He shrugged. “I mean, normally I’d figure, that’s what they all say. But now I’m not so sure.”  
  
Oikawa nodded. “Well, that’s what our little interview is for! We’ll see what he has to say and go over his records a couple times, just to see if we can get anything for the case.” He gave them all his best smile, and leaned forward with his elbows on the table. “Now, let’s take a look at these lists, shall we?”

* * *

Ito Daiki looked emotionally exhausted.  
  
He sat across from Oikawa in the interrogation room; it was spacious and plain, with cold metal walls and a small table with two chairs. On one side of the room was a two way mirror; Iwaizumi was watching through it, and a camera with a microphone was set up in the corner near the door.  
  
Ito himself was about fifteen centimeters shorter than Oikawa, stocky and middle-aged with dark circles under his eyes. He ran a hand through his short, unruly hair, and sighed as Oikawa made himself comfortable in the chair across from him.  
  
“Well, good morning, Ito-san.” His voice was a swirl of muted purple and green through the mirror. “I’d ask how you are, but I don’t think you’d appreciate it.”  
  
Ito smiled, but it was sad, full of bone-deep exhaustion. “Would you like the polite answer, or the honest one, Detective?”  
  
“I’ll spare you the trouble of asking in the first place,” Oikawa replied coolly. “After all, you’ve been locked up for a little over... four years now, correct? For terrible crimes you swear you didn’t commit.” His eyes were sharp and searching as he spoke. “In fact, I remember when you got arrested. Special Investigations didn’t even touch the case, because it was handled by the regular police. But it made such a stir.”  
  
Ito shrugged, and sighed. “Yeah, of course it did. It was big news.” His laughter was quiet and hollow. “A dirty cop getting put behind bars, swearing he didn’t kill anybody. It was good entertainment, wasn’t it?”  
  
Oikawa didn’t smile. “You seem bitter, Ito-san. Not that I blame you.”  
  
Ito rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I lost everything, Detective. I’m more tired than anything.” He waved a hand. “You want my story, right? For some kind of case, I’m guessing.”  
  
“Bingo. I can’t give you any details, of course, but I’d appreciate your version of what happened four years ago,” Oikawa replied politely.  
  
Ito leaned back in his chair a little. “Nothing that you couldn’t find in reports, really. I’ll admit to the smuggling. My partner and I were trying to make extra money by working with a small gang, so we were helping them out for about eight months.”  His eyes fell to the floor, and he wouldn’t meet Oikawa’s gaze. “But the night Akiyama and the two gang members died... We were set up. And I was hurt, too.” His visage seemed haunted. “Whoever it was wanted to kill all four of us. And when I survived, they set me up to take the fall for what they did.”  
  
Oikawa looked thoughtful. “And even after all this time, you have no idea who would’ve wanted all four of you dead?”  
  
“No. It doesn’t make sense for anyone in the gang to have wanted us in the ground; we were a big help, and made it clear we weren’t dangerous. And they weren’t exactly known for killing people. They didn’t do much in the way of violence.” He sighed again. “I didn’t piss anyone off that badly, and neither did Akiyama. At least, not as far as I know.”  
  
“Hmm, I see, I see. And you and Akiyama were working alone, right?” Oikawa asked calmly.  
  
Ito visibly hesitated. “...Yeah,” he said after a moment. “It was just us.”  
  
Oikawa hummed. “Okay. Well... thank you for your time, Ito-san.” Oikawa gave him what seemed to be a warm smile, the picture of sympathy. “Thank you for agreeing to speak with me today. I’ll let you get back to your routine.”  
  
Behind the mirror, Iwaizumi finished taking notes, and sighed as he stood up and stretched.  
  
 _It’s gonna be a long day._

* * *

“Do you think he did it?” Iwaizumi asked as they walked back to their office.  
  
Oikawa hummed thoughtfully. “I think he was telling the truth, mostly. But maybe he’s a really, really good liar.”  
  
Iwaizumi snorted. “Doubt it. You can read almost anyone like an open book.” He slipped his hands in his pockets as he continued talking. “The evidence they found at the scene of the crime was pretty damning, but nothing that couldn’t be faked by someone that knew what they were doing. And his story makes sense.”  
  
“Mmm. I’m pretty sure this has something to do with our case. Ito might be a casualty of whoever’s behind all this, and it lines up with the theories of a vigilante or a ruthless leader. He was definitely working for someone... that little slip there at the end was quite a giveaway! But, he’ll probably never want to tell us who it is, unless we can come up with a name,” he said with a theatrical sigh. “Maybe whoever was directing him saw him as a liability.”  
  
Iwaizumi rubbed his temples irritably. “This is such a pain in the ass. It’s been a week and we’ve barely made any progress.”  
  
“Don’t sound so _down_ , Iwa-chan!” Oikawa replied brightly. “We’ll figure this out, okay? I’m counting on you!”  
  
“Hey, same to you,” he smiled. “Come on. Let’s talk to the lovebirds in our office and figure out what to do next.”

* * *

Back in the office, Hanamaki was rinsing out his mug, emblazoned with the phrase **_♥#1 Hacker of my Heart♥_** when Oikawa and Iwaizumi returned. Matsukawa was lounging in his chair with his feet propped up on the table and his laptop balanced on his thighs, and gave the two partners a friendly wave as Iwaizumi shut the door.  
  
“How’d it go?” he asked curiously.  
  
“Pretty much exactly like I expected!” Oikawa beamed. He relayed the information with a sparkle in his eyes, and Matsukawa nodded sagely when he finished.  
  
“Sounds fishy. Maybe we can take a closer look at the records around when he got arrested,” he suggested.   
  
Hanamaki nodded. “I like that idea. I’m on it. Well... as soon as I get something to drink, anyway.” He looked over at Oikawa and Iwaizumi. “Do you two wanna get lunch with us?”  
  
“You know it! Thanks, Makki-chan!” Oikawa said with his most brilliant smile. “Let’s go to the little cafe down the street!”  
  
“Hey, who said you were picking?” Iwaizumi grumbled.  
  
Oikawa threw an arm around his shoulders, and playfully stuck his tongue out. “Don’t be so grumpy, Iwa-chan! Of _course_ your beloved captain is picking -- ow! Don’t smack my head, you’ll mess up my hair!”  
  
Lunch proved to be the high point of their day. Once they returned to work an hour later, they slogged through reports and data until almost midnight, when Iwaizumi found himself almost physically dragging Oikawa out of the office to go home and rest.  
  
Once again, Oikawa insisted on Iwaizumi sharing his bed. Iwaizumi was the first to fall asleep this time -- which gave Oikawa the perfect opportunity to return the kiss to his forehead that he’d received the night before.

* * *

His phone was ringing.  
  
It was loud, and _annoying_ , especially because the clock beside his bed made it clear that it was only 3:45 in the morning. With a groan, Oikawa fumbled for his cell phone and flipped it open.  
  
“Mattsun? What’s wrong?” he asked blearily, his words slightly slurred from fatigue.  
  
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Sorry to bother you.” He sounded almost as exhausted as Oikawa was. “You know that patrol we had over in the western sector of the city, near Shiratorizawa’s territory?”  
  
Oikawa rubbed at his eyes. “Um, the... yeah. The ones we had checking out Ushiwaka... right. What about them?”  
  
Matsukawa sighed; in the background, Oikawa could hear Hanamaki furiously typing at his laptop. “Well... both of them are dead.”

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 3_

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the missed update last week, and for not getting to all the comments on the last chapter yet; I've become very sick, and I'm still bedridden. But I'll be doing my best to keep the updates coming as quickly as I can ;w;

By 4:15, Oikawa and Iwaizumi were showered, dressed, and rushing out of the door.  
  
The silence between them was heavy with tense anticipation as they practically ran to their car. Oikawa already had the engine running when Iwaizumi finished buckling his seatbelt, and a moment later, they were pulling out of the garage and speeding towards the location that Matsukawa had texted them.  
  
Ten minutes later, Oikawa hit the breaks as they reached the scene. The area was crowded with forensic agents and police; Matsukawa was speaking to the forensic captain in hushed whispers, and Hanamaki was on his computer. Oikawa and Iwaizumi slammed their doors and ran over, eyes steely with determination.  
  
“What do we know so far?” Oikawa asked.  
  
“Hey,” Matsukawa said. “The patrol members were both shot three times. We managed to retrieve four of the rounds, but the other two are, y’know... still in the bodies.” He sighed, and ran a hand through his short hair. “Got ballistics analyzing all that. Bodies got taken to be examined, too.”  
  
“And we got photos if you want ‘em,” Hanamaki piped up. “They’re kinda nasty, though. Whoever did it made a hell of a mess.”  
  
Oikawa and Iwaizumi both leaned over to look at Hanamaki’s screen, and he quickly pulled up several photographs. The captain of Special Investigations grimaced, but looked no less determined than he did before as his eyes scanned the photos and took in every detail. “Any leads yet?”  
  
“Nope. We’re gonna have to wait on forensics and ballistics to get back to us to get anything conclusive,” Matsukawa said apologetically. “All we’ve got right now are the basics.”  
  
Oikawa nodded. _Can’t talk about it too much out in the open. Hard to say if anyone here is actually involved._ “Okay. Well, let’s all take careful notes on everything, shall we?” _Let’s not rely solely on the information given to us by others._ “As always, I’m counting on you!”  
  
Hanamaki gave him a lazy salute, his eyes bright with understanding. “You got it, captain.”  
  
Oikawa returned the salute, seemingly playful, but his demeanor was just a little colder, sharp with tension as he walked around the nearby caution tape. Iwaizumi followed close behind while shielding his eyes from the bright lights that forensics had set up to illuminate the darkness, and stopped when they finally reached the exact spot where it had happened.  
  
Blood was splattered over the dirty concrete, the nearby brick wall decorated with crimson gore. Iwaizumi felt a little sick as the smell reached his nose, and a bitter taste settled over his tongue. Two crumbled holes were in the wall where bullets had lodged, along with two more on the ground.  
  
“Whoever did it came up behind them,” Watari offered. The forensic specialist sighed heavily. “The murderer must have fast reflexes, if he took both of them out without sustaining any injuries himself. At least, that’s what we think... we’ll know more after we finish testing all the evidence and samples we collected.”  
  
Oikawa hummed cheerfully, but his eyes held a dangerous edge as he glanced over the scene again. “I see! So there’s not much we can do in that area until you get back to us.” He nodded, and continued speaking before anyone could answer him. “Fine by me! We have a lot of work to do for our fallen officers, after all.”  
  
“That’s true,” Watari agreed sadly. “Their families need to be informed, and there will be a lot of paperwork, and the press to deal with...”  
  
“We’ll get started,” Iwaizumi promised. “Come on, Oikawa. Let’s go back to the office.”  
  
“Of course, Iwa-chan!” His voice was musical, but slightly off, a clouded swirl of faded purple, mottled with yellow-brown and a tint of green. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

* * *

Matsukawa was quiet as he climbed back into the passenger seat of the car.  
  
The sky was bright as Hanamaki closed the driver’s side door and glanced at his phone for the time -- 10:31 in the morning. Silence sat heavy in the air for several seconds before he looked over at Matsukawa, who was staring wordlessly at the dashboard of the vehicle.  
  
“Hey,” Hanamaki said softly. “Issei. You okay?”  
  
Matsukawa was silent for a moment before he replied. “Nah. I feel like shit.” He clenched and unclenched his jaw as he forced himself to take a deep, slow breath, and tried hard to ignore the too-fresh memory of a crying woman in the back of his mind. “This whole thing is bad enough already, but telling people they lost their family is one of the worst parts of this job. And...”  
  
His voice trailed off, and he realized he was tensing up again when Hanamaki leaned over to gently put a hand on his thigh. “And what? C’mon, tell me.”  
  
“We didn’t know the guys that died this time, or the last,” he said suddenly. “But I mean, that’s all chance, right? Next time, it could be anyone.” He sighed, and rubbed at his eyes, rimmed with dark circles of fatigue. “If there is a next time, I mean. I just...” He shook his head, and slumped in his seat a little. “Forget it. I’m just a little worked up, I guess.”  
  
Hanamaki looked troubled. “I’m not gonna just _forget it_ , Issei, c’mon. You know me better than that.” He reached a little further to take hold of Matsukawa’s hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “What’s it you always say, worrying won’t change anything? Let’s work the case and do our best to set things right. And if it comes down to it, we’ve got each other’s backs.”  
  
Matsukawa took a deep breath, and looked over at Hanamaki with a weak smile. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, guess I kinda got caught up in it. Let’s get back to the office.”  
  
The unspoken words in his heart were heavy in the air as Hanamaki started the engine and began to drive.  
  
 _I don’t want to lose you._

* * *

“The deaths happened right on the edge of Shiratorizawa’s district, and they’re well aware of the trouble we’ve been having in our police department,” Matsukawa said with a sigh as he sat down several hours later. “So, y’know... they’re investigating now too.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile was strained. “So our little dark knight Ushiwaka-chan is going to be getting in our way. That’s great.” He finished the rest of his coffee, and leaned back in his chair, his voice a swirl of purple and mottled yellow-green. “Or at least, he’ll have an excuse. We still don’t know if he’s the man we’re looking for, after all.”  
  
“We can worry about that after we get something to eat, and rest a little bit,” Iwaizumi said firmly. “That goes for all of us. We’ve been up since ass o’clock in the morning. I’m not letting any of you stay here past four today.”  
  
Matsukawa smiled, and his eyes seemed just a little warmer and more lively. “Thanks, dad. It’s good to have you looking out for us.”  
  
“Hey, show your father some respect,” Hanamaki grinned.   
  
“Oh, sorry. Dad- _san_ ,” Matsukawa corrected with a small laugh.  
  
Iwaizumi glared at them, but smiled a little despite himself. “Yeah, yeah. Come on, kids, it’s time for lunch. Get moving before I kick your ass.”  
  
“Rude, Iwa-chan! Don’t talk to your children that way,” Oikawa said sweetly as he jumped to his feet. “Let’s go get milk bread!”  
  
“You’re setting a bad example for us children, buying us milk bread, aren’t you? Shouldn’t we have a more nutritious diet?” Matsukawa grinned.  
  
“Wait, who said I was buying?!” Oikawa pouted.  
  
Hanamaki’s smile made his eyes sparkle. “Well, you wouldn’t make your kids buy their own food, would you?” At Iwaizumi’s laughter, Hanamaki shot him a smirk. “I’m glad you agree, Dad. Your husband is so mean to us sometimes.”  
  
 _“Excuse me?”_   Iwaizumi spluttered as his cheeks turned bright red. “You wanna run that by me one more time?”  
  
“Ooh, you forgot that you’re married to your husband? That’s a bit scandalous,” Matsukawa said teasingly. “Come on, papa. Let’s go get lunch together, like one big family.”  
  
“Yeah, lead the way, so I can stick my foot up your a--”  
  
Oikawa grabbed his arm with a laugh and pulled him towards the door. “Cool it, Iwa-chan! If you frown so much, you’ll get even more wrinkles than you already have, and that just won’t do.”  
  
Iwaizumi grumbled, but let himself be led, secretly relishing the feeling of Oikawa’s hand against his arm. Behind them, Hanamaki and Matsukawa watched with matching smiles.

* * *

“Listen.”  
  
Mizoguchi’s voice was stern, and left no room for argument, even though he’d only just started to speak. The vice chief of Seijou’s PD had called Oikawa and Iwaizumi into a quick meeting before they left for the day, and he looked beyond exhausted. “This case has gotten ugly a lot faster than I thought it would. I’m not messing around when I say I need you two to be careful, all right? And make sure the rest of your unit is on their toes, too.” He dragged a hand through his hair, and sighed. “Losing regular officers is bad enough, but if we lose people in Special Investigations, it’ll be even worse. For a lot of reasons.”  
  
“Don’t worry, Mizoguchi-san,” Oikawa said with a calm smile. His voice was blue-violet and fuchsia, seemingly collected and unshakable. “We’re all wearing new bulletproof vests, and everyone in the unit is avoiding being alone until the case is closed. I don’t want to lose them any more than you do.”  
  
Mizoguchi steepled his hands together, and narrowed his eyes. “I know. You’re reliable as hell, and that’s why you’ve been the captain of SI for so long now. But this goes for you too. Just...” He sighed again, and looked down at the desk. “This is the biggest case you’ve ever had to take on. Definitely the most dangerous by far. We’ve barely begun, and there’s already been so many casualties...”  
  
Iwaizumi shifted in his seat. “...Yeah, we know. We’re waiting on forensics and ballistics to get back to us about the guys that died last night. They put the evidence at the top of their queue for processing. Until they finish, we’re just data gathering, really, and...”  
  
“Dealing with the press, which I’ve been shouldering,” Mizoguchi sighed. “Yeah. I’m gonna keep helping you with this case from the sidelines, okay? I’ll work with Watari from forensics and do some footwork, and let you know anything I find out.” He leaned back, and made a dismissive motion with his hand. “Go get some rest. Be careful, and stay in touch.”  
  
Oikawa waved and gave him a cheerful smile. “Same to you, vice chief-san! Don’t work too hard!”  
  
Back in the hallway, he seemed to deflate a little as the door shut firmly behind him and Iwaizumi. There was a determined set to his shoulders, but his head hung a little low in exhaustion and stress.  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi asked, his usual gruff tone softened with concern, “you okay?”  
  
“I’m fine, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said with a small smile. Violet, blue and teal danced in front of Iwaizumi’s eyes. “Let’s go home and watch a movie!”  
  
Iwaizumi’s eyes narrowed; he’d known Oikawa for far too long to be fooled by the colors of his fake cheer. “Don’t push yourself too hard, Shittykawa, or I’ll--”  
  
“You worry too much, Iwa-chan!” he replied brightly. Without hesitation, he reached over to hold his partner’s hand as they walked down the corridor. “Let’s go!”  
  
He tried not to be distracted by the warmth of Oikawa’s palm against his, or the fingers carefully and firmly intertwined with his own. He felt a rush of affection as Oikawa hummed quietly, but the feeling was dampened by a cold, creeping fear in the bottom of his heart.

* * *

He stared up at the ceiling for what felt like hours.  
  
Beside him, Iwaizumi slept quietly, one arm wrapped firmly around Oikawa’s waist as he slumbered. His face was more relaxed than it usually was during the day, and Oikawa found a small measure of peace in watching him.  
  
 _This has already gotten too dangerous,_ he thought with a chill. Idly, he traced a finger over Iwaizumi’s forearm, and the other man didn’t even stir. _I have to be the best. I’ve always wanted to be -- but now, I **have** to be._ His chest was tight with stress as he watched his partner sleep, and as horrible thoughts of Iwaizumi being gunned down flashed through his mind, he felt hot tears sting at the corners of his eyes.  
  
 _I won’t let anyone hurt you,_ he thought furiously. He took a deep, slightly shaky breath to steady himself, and blinked the tears away. _I’ll tear down the sky itself if I have to. I’ll lay this case open piece by piece. I’ll do anything._  
  
He closed his eyes, and felt a tired smile curve at the corners of his lips as Iwaizumi stirred a little against him, and drew closer to the warmth of the captain’s body.   
  
_Anything for you, Hajime._

* * *

Oikawa was on edge the entire morning.  
  
To most anyone, he seemed like his usual whimsical self, with the slightest hint of his razor sharp edge showing through his words. But Iwaizumi could see the yellow-green clouds as he spoke, encroaching on the rich purple of his tone, with a murky brown lingering at the edges. The captain’s smile was more plastic than warmth, frozen on his face like a suit of unbreakable armor.  
  
As they left the office to get lunch, Oikawa waved at everyone they passed in the office, the very model of a friendly detective. But once they were both in the car, the sparkle in his eyes seemed to fade just a little as Iwaizumi stared at him unblinkingly.  
  
“Something wrong, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked sweetly. “You’ll get wrinkles--”  
  
“Don’t give me that shit,” Iwaizumi interrupted. “I can tell you’re wound tight as hell right now.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile faltered, just a little, and something in his eyes seemed tired. His words were a cloud of moody blue and purple with a hint of yellow. “Can you blame me, Hajime?”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his heart lodge in his throat at the raw honesty in the words. “I... no. But,” he said, quickly regaining his ground, “you don’t have to pretend around me, all right? You know better than that.”  
  
A little bit of warmth seeped into Oikawa’s expression, and Iwaizumi felt his stomach flip. “So noble! Are you my Prince Charming, Iwa-chan?”  
  
“Shut up and drive the damn car,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he flushed a little.  
  
Oikawa’s laughter was musical, and for a moment, the yellow around him was gone, and the car was filled with warm violet and fuschia. “All right, Iwa-chan! But I’m picking the music!” he smiled.  
  
For once, Iwaizumi didn’t disagree. As Nicki Minaj’s latest hit blared through the speakers, and Oikawa sang along in perfect English, Iwaizumi watched him with a mixture of concern and heartbroken fondness. _He’s pushing himself too hard,_ he thought unhappily. _But he doesn’t have a choice, really._ _Neither of us does._  
  
Oikawa continued singing along, the pink and purple notes filling the air, and Iwaizumi sighed as he looked out of the window. _We’ll figure this thing out. We’re all in it together.  
  
We’ll be fine._

* * *

The small cafe was lively as Oikawa cheerfully paid for their meal and bounced away from the register to find a table.  
  
“Where should we sit, Iwa-chan?” he asked happily. “Ooh, let’s get a table outside!”  
  
“I don’t care. Are there even any seats left out there?”  
  
“I think so! There were three empty tables when we came in!” he replied brightly as he opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Let’s--”  
  
“Detective Oikawa.”  
  
The voice was deep and unpleasantly familiar. All the genuine happiness vanished from Oikawa’s demeanor as he regarded the two tall men in suits standing on the sidewalk in front of them.  
  
“Well! If it isn’t Ushiwaka-chan and his partner. What brings you to our neighborhood?” he asked, his voice cold despite the seemingly cheerful words. His eyes flashed dangerously. “Aren’t you a little far from Shiratorizawa?”  
  
Ushijima Wakatoshi raised a single eyebrow. “My partner’s name is Shirabu. You keep forgetting, for some reason.”  
  
Oikawa’s fake smile grew wider. “It’s not that I forget, Ushiwaka-chan. I just don’t _care_.” Shirabu visibly bristled, but bit his lower lip and said nothing. “And you didn’t answer my question! So _rude_.”  
  
Ushijima didn’t look amused. “Don’t call me Ushiwaka. And we’re here to get food. I heard this cafe is nice.”  
  
Iwaizumi watched him carefully, and at the same time, Shirabu’s piercing gaze didn’t escape his notice. _Talk about tense._ “It is, but that doesn’t explain what the hell you’re doing in Seijou’s district while you’re obviously on duty. What’s your business here?”  
  
With a shake of his head, Ushijima crossed his arms and gave him a stern look. “Shiratorizawa work. Nothing that I can talk about.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward. “Oh? You don’t want to cooperate with your fellow officers of the law, Ushiwaka-chan? And why is that?”  
  
Ushijima didn’t back down, but he looked slightly irritated. “I can’t talk about it, because it’s classified information available only to Shiratorizawa Special Investigations. Something you’d know if you weren’t wasting your talents in the cesspool of Seijou’s police department. Your worthless pride has always been your most unfortunate flaw.”  
  
Anger was visible on Oikawa’s face as he took another step forward, his facade falling away with irritation and distaste. “I’m pretty sure I know _exactly_ what you’re up to. And if you think I’d ever waste my talents by being just another tool for you to use, you’re crazy.” He smiled, but there was no friendliness in the expression. “This worthless pride of mine? You’d best remember it damn well.”  
  
With that, he stormed off in the direction of their car with Iwaizumi close behind him. A few moments later, they were buckled up and ready to go -- but Oikawa’s too-tight grip on the steering wheel didn’t escape Iwaizumi’s sharp eyes.  
  
“What the _hell_ was that about?” Iwaizumi muttered. “Do you know what he was doing?”  
  
Oikawa’s smile was tight and full of anger, his voice mostly yellow-green and red. “He’s investigating Seijou. Probably _us_ , if I had to take a guess.” He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, and then started the engine. “Maybe he’s trying to cover his tracks, if he’s involved. Whatever his reasoning, he’s probably gonna be a pain, don’t you think?”  
  
“Pretty much no doubt about it.” He glanced at Oikawa, who was practically seething as he drove. “He’s so arrogant... really pisses me off.”  
  
“I’ll destroy him,” Oikawa whispered dangerously. “If he’s the one behind all of this. I’ll be the one to take him down.”  
  
A chill settled into Iwaizumi’s heart. _I’ll keep him in check if I have to._  
  
 _I’ll protect him._

* * *

“Ballistics report came back while you were getting lunch,” Matsukawa said as Oikawa and Iwaizumi entered the office. “The bullets were .38 caliber revolver rounds, from police issued weapons. So whoever did this is on the force.”  
  
Oikawa made a sour face as he sat on the couch and opened a melon soda. “Well, that’s not too surprising, is it? About what we expected, anyway.” He offered an unpleasant smile as he leaned back and met Matsukawa’s eyes. “But you’ll never guess who we ran into while we were at the cafe!”  
  
“Ushiwaka and his partner, Shirabu,” Iwaizumi spoke up. “Oikawa says they’re investigating us.”  
  
“What the hell,” Hanamaki grumbled from his chair at the table. “Figures our number 1 suspect is getting in our way, huh?” He took a drink from his mug, and sighed. “I still haven’t been able to get much of anything on Ushiwaka. His available records are absolutely spotless. He just has a reputation for being an obnoxious asshole, but that’s nothing we didn’t already know.”  
  
Matsukawa grinned. “But it’s not all bad news, right? Let ‘em know what you’ve been up to while they were gone.”  
  
Almost immediately, a coy smile lit up Hanamaki’s face. “Just a little hacking into Shiratorizawa Police Department’s database... no big deal.”  
  
Oikawa immediately perked up with an excited gleam in his eyes. “Oooh, Makki-chan! Nice!” He leaned over the back of the couch, clearly excited. “Are you almost done? Do you think you can find anything?”  
  
“Give me a couple more minutes and one of those milk breads I know you have in that bag, and I’ll work my magic.” He caught the bread that Oikawa tossed him without even looking at it, and his smile grew wider. “Their security is damn good, so I’ve been working on it since last night, but I might be able to find something good.”  
  
Matsukawa leaned his head against Hanamaki’s shoulder as he continued typing. “My favorite keyboard magician.”  
  
“I _better_ be your favorite,” he grinned. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and his eyes never left the screen. After a moment, Oikawa and Iwaizumi pulled up chairs to watch him work, both clearly interested in what he was doing. Rapidly scrolling lines of data and multiple windows appeared as he continued to work; as fluent as Oikawa was in multiple languages, what Hanamaki was doing was completely unknown to him.  
  
Finally, after several more minutes, he smiled victoriously. “I’m in.”  
  
“That’s the Makki-chan we know and love!” Oikawa cooed as he ruffled Hanamaki’s short hair. “You’ve made your captain proud!”  
  
“Oi, watch it,” he laughed as he continued typing. “Huh. Here’s some of Shiratorizawa’s Special Investigations emails... ooh, current casework. Let’s see...” The three other men crowded around his screen as he quickly scrolled through a document. “Oh, shit. Well, would you look at that.”  
  
 ** _> Aobajousai Police Department corruption_**  
 _> Two more murders of their officers occurred recently near the edge of Shiratorizawa’s district. This is becoming dangerous not just for them, but Shiratorizawa as well, if it is edging into our territory. Captain Ushijima Wakatoshi and Vice Captain Shirabu Kenjirou are currently assigned to investigate. If additional manpower becomes necessary, Tendou Satori and Goshiki Tsutomu will be assigned as backup._  
  
 _> Keep a close eye on the leaders of their own investigation. Currently, we believe that Special Investigations Captain Oikawa Tooru and his Vice Captain Iwaizumi Hajime are leading it. Their records are attached to this document, as are the records of recently deceased Seijou officers._  
  
“Looks like you were right about them checking us out,” Iwaizumi muttered angrily. “On the other hand, this also kinda casts doubt on them being responsible--”  
  
“We can’t rule that out just yet,” Oikawa insisted. “Ushiwaka-chan and all of his little gang are unpleasantly sharp. This might be a false start, and it’s definitely not _everything_ in their database.”  
  
Hanamaki sighed. “That’s true. This is really only surface-level stuff. It’d take me a lot longer to find anything more than just a few documents and emails, and it’d be a lot riskier, too.” He shrugged. “I mean, if they catch me poking around in their stuff, they’re just gonna get even more suspicious, and probably become even more of a pain in the ass.”  
  
Oikawa sighed in disgust. “They’re as annoying as ever. Well, that’s fine,” he said with an unpleasantly false smile. “Come on, Iwa-chan! Let’s go talk to Watari-kun in forensics to see what they’ve processed!”  
  
“Hey, bothering Watari while he’s working won’t make the process go any faster. The stuff for our case is already at the top of their cue.”  
  
Oikawa pouted, and crossed his arms as he stood up straight. “Come _on_ , Iwa-chan! Don’t be such a downer. Let’s just go say hi and check up on him, okay?”  
  
Hanamaki and Matsukawa watched them go, and they sighed in unison as the door shut behind them, leaving them alone in the office.  
  
“They need a day off, huh?” Matsukawa asked. “It’s been, what... two weeks since they didn’t come in one day?”  
  
“Something like that.” He leaned back in his chair, and then sat up again to give Matsukawa a quick kiss on the cheek. “Hey, let’s bully them into taking tomorrow off when they get back. What do you say?”  
  
Matsukawa smiled, and rubbed at the dark circles under his eyes. “You know what, that sounds like a good plan. Count me in.”

* * *

“Hold on, Shirabu.”  
  
Shirabu stopped walking, and turned to see Ushijima staring intently at... a small orange cat. It was watching him pitifully from a short distance away on the sidewalk, eyeing the meat pastry he held in his hand.  
  
“Are you... going to feed it, Ushijima-san?”  
  
Ushijima looked at him, his face as impassive as ever, and nodded. “It seems very hungry, doesn’t it?” He turned back to the cat, and knelt on the ground as he tore off a piece of the pastry and held it out in his hand. “Here you go, cat. You can have this, and if we stop by tomorrow, I’ll give you more if I see you.”  
  
“It probably can’t understand you, you know,” Shirabu said with a hint of exasperated fondness. But even as the words came out of his mouth, the cat carefully trotted up to Ushijima and curiously sniffed at his fingers before daintily picking the bit of pastry out of his hand with its teeth.  
  
“Be safe. It’s very dangerous to wander around too much,” Ushijima told the cat sternly. It finished eating the treat, and nuzzled against his hand happily before sitting back to watch him curiously. “It was nice meeting you. Take care.”  
  
He stood up and kept walking back to the car; Shirabu kept pace, and didn’t manage to keep the affectionate smile off of his face. _Soft in his own weird way. That’s one of the things I like about him, though._ He got into the passenger seat, and waited until the doors were closed before he spoke. “What do you make of Seijou’s captain and vice captain?”  
  
Ushijima started the engine, seemingly unbothered by the question. “It’s hard to say. I don’t think Oikawa would kill anyone, even if they were guilty of something. He’s a fool, and he’s wasting his talents at Seijou, but he’s not a killer. And I don’t think his partner is, either.”  
  
Shirabu shifted a little in his seat, and tapped idly at the armrest. “Do you think they’ll be all right? This is a dangerous case, and if they’re not the ones responsible for the murders, then...”  
  
Ushijima was quiet for a moment as he pulled out of his parking space. “I don’t know,” he replied honestly. “It’s too soon to say. But you should worry less about them, and more about yourself.” He kept his eyes firmly on the road as he spoke. “This case will be just as dangerous for us, if we get too involved, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
  
Shirabu felt his cheeks burn a little at the words. “...Are you... concerned about me, Ushijima-san?”  
  
The car stopped as they reached a red light, and Ushijima looked over to meet his gaze, slightly confused by the question. “Of course,” he said. “You’re my partner, Shirabu. I don’t want any harm to come to you.” He pulled forward as the light changed color, his eyes on the road once more. “You’re priceless to me, after all. You’re very important, and nobody could truly replace you.”  
  
The flush on Shirabu’s cheeks grew darker. _Even for him, that’s a bit forward..._ “Ushijima-san?” he asked carefully. “Are you... all right?”  
  
Ushijima’s eyes didn’t leave the street; he slowed down a little to avoid a stray dog, and continued driving, like the question hadn’t bothered him at all. “Yes, I’m in top condition right now. Did I say something strange?”  
  
“You just seem worried, I guess.”  
  
Ushijima was quiet for a second as he considered his response. “Worried is a good word for it. I am worried about this case, and about you.”  
  
Shirabu felt his heart flutter. “About me? Why?”  
  
Ushijima stopped at another red light, but this time, he kept his eyes straight ahead and didn’t meet his partner’s gaze. “This is probably the most dangerous case that Seijou or Shiratorizawa has had to deal with in a decade, and there have already been five casualties recently. Even one would be enough to cause an upset, but five men and women have been murdered, presumably by a fellow officer of the law. It’s unforgivable.” His brow furrowed just slightly. “And as important as this case is, I don’t want you to be another casualty. I know our duty, but I guess it still bothers me. I never really thought about the possibility of losing you before.”  
  
Shirabu shifted in his seat. _Is he... does he have feelings for me too? I mean, it kind of confirms my suspicions, doesn’t it? I’ve never heard him say anything like this in our years together..._ A small undercurrent of fear warred with the warmth of his affection, though, a stark reality against a crush he’d been nurturing for a while. “Well... when you put it that way, it is pretty frightening.”  
  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He began to drive again, and kept his eyes straight ahead; the slight shift of his face and the determined set in his expression didn’t escape Shirabu’s notice. “But you don’t need to worry, because you have me. I’ll protect you.”  
  
Shirabu’s smile came easily. “Thanks, Captain. Right back at you. Hopefully that kind of thing doesn’t become necessary, though.”  
  
Ushijima’s eyes were warm as he glanced over at him, and a small smile curved at the corner of his lips. “Right.”

* * *

“Oikawa sure didn’t like the idea of taking a day off,” Hanamaki laughed as he shut the door of their apartment. He grinned at Matsukawa as he tossed the keys onto the nearby counter before he even took off his shoes. “Not that I’m surprised.”  
  
“Yeah. Gives Iwaizumi a good chance to make him sleep, though.” He wandered into the living room behind his boyfriend, and plopped down onto the couch with a yawn. “Or maybe confess. They’re basically married, even though they’re not dating yet.”  
  
“They’re missing out,” Hanamaki laughed. “Probably won’t take ‘em much longer, though. I give them til the end of this case. Bet you they’ll be kissing and holding hands in a couple weeks.”  
  
Matsukawa hummed, and leaned over to push Hanamaki into a prone position on the couch. He pressed him into the cushions with the weight of his body, his legs firmly between the other man’s as he pressed a warm, slow kiss to his lips. “All this talk about kissing,” he whispered against his mouth, “really makes me want you.”  
  
Hanamaki grinned, and pulled Matsukawa closer. “Well, what are you waiting for, Issei? I’m not going anywhere.”  
  
Matsukawa’s breath hitched a little as his eyes glinted with lust and adoration. “Is that an invitation, Takahiro?”  
  
“Damn right it is. Come here and do that again.”

* * *

Later that night, Matsukawa was woken by the sound of his phone ringing.  
  
With a groan, he reached over and flipped it open. “Hey. Somethin’ happen?” he asked, his words slurred with fatigue. “It’s like... 3 in the morning.” He paused, and a moment later, he suddenly seemed much more awake. “Gotcha. We’re on the way.”  
  
He closed the phone, and gently shook Hanamaki awake, who responded by mumbling incoherently and snuggling closer to his boyfriend. “Hey, Takahiro, c’mon. Sorry, we gotta go. C’mon, wake up.”  
  
“What happened?” he asked sleepily.  
  
“Shots fired a couple blocks from here. Not sure of the details. We need to get moving.” He was already on his feet as he said it, reaching for his clothes and his bulletproof vest. “Help me put this on?”

* * *

Tension was running high as they made their way to the location.  
  
The streets were quiet as they briskly strode through the darkness. Hanamaki felt his skin crawling with anxiety, and his hand hovered over the gun in his holster as they drew nearer to the address -- a large, open parking lot next to a series of small apartment complexes.  
  
“Mizoguchi said the reported shots were right up there?” he whispered.  
  
Matsukawa nodded. “Don’t see anyone though... weird. You’d think there’d be more of a commotion, right?” He was on edge as they kept walking. “Keep your guard up...”  
  
They walked through the lot, but there was no sign of anyone, let alone any kind of conflict. “D’you think Mizoguchi got the address wrong?” Hanamaki asked quietly. “Or maybe it’s a false alarm?”  
  
“Dunno.” Matsukawa stayed close to him as they walked between two parked cars. “Hey, maybe we should leave and call backup, or something. This isn’t safe--”  
  
Just as he finished saying it, there was a rustle of movement -- and suddenly, he felt a blinding explosion of pain in the crook of his shoulder.  
  
He stumbled forward with a strained yell, and screamed as another flash of unbearable agony ripped through his arm. Time seemed to go in slow motion for Hanamaki as he turned, his revolver already in his hands as he aimed and pulled the trigger.  
  
The bullet hit, and the masked person behind Matsukawa grunted in pain. But the shot didn’t seem to stop them, and Hanamaki saw the glint of a long knife in the dim moonlight as he brought it down towards Matsukawa’s neck.  
  
 _“No!”_   Hanamaki lunged forward and shot twice more, doing his best to ignore the sick feeling of terror curdling in his gut as Matsukawa sagged against him, his blood slick on Hanamaki’s skin. The bullets both seemed to find their mark, and the knife tumbled from the assailant’s grasp --  
  
But instead of running, they pulled out a revolver of their own, and took aim at Hanamaki.  
  
He raised his own gun towards their face, but felt a white-hot burst of agony in his right thigh, followed by another just below it as they shot at him twice. His weapon fell from his fingers as they pulled the trigger again; the bullet grazed his face, and he collapsed onto the concrete ground, Matsukawa’s body heavy against his own.  
  
 _Is this it? Are we going to die? We’re going to die. Issei, I’m so sorry -- I’m so sorry, Issei--!_  
  
He felt his blood seeping through his clothes as the assailant walked up to them, and calmly aimed their revolver right at his face. He squeezed his eyes shut --  
  
But then Matsukawa turned, revolver in hand, and the mysterious figure backed away and vanished as Matsukawa fired and missed.  
  
They were alone, then, collapsed on the ground of the lot and breathing heavily. “Takahiro...”  
  
“...Issei?” Hanamaki asked. His voice cracked on his name. “Issei?”  
  
But Matsukawa didn’t answer, and slumped against him, unconscious and bleeding heavily. Hanamaki fought back the bile in his throat as he shakily reached for his cellphone and dialed the number for emergency services.  
  
Just as a voice came onto the other end of the line, he felt himself growing faint. _They got me in the leg,_ he thought weakly. _Wonder if they... hit... something important..._  
  
“Hello? Hello?” the voice on the other end of the line asked. “What is your emergency? Hello?”  
  
But Hanamaki didn’t answer. The cellphone tumbled from his grasp, and the last thing he remembered was the warmth of Matsukawa’s blood against his skin as the last of his consciousness faded away.

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 4_

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, sorry again for the couple extra days to update; I'm still sick :') I'll be getting major surgery done on Friday, so the next update may take a couple extra days again, since I'll need time to recover. Please feel free to check my twitter or tumblr for updates; I'm "aetherdrive" on both sites. Thank you so much for your patience and support <3

Iwaizumi groaned as his cellphone’s ringing woke him up.  
  
He blindly reached out to Oikawa’s nightstand, picked it up, and opened it without even checking to see who it was. A glance at the clock told him it was just a little past six in the morning. “What do you want?” he grumbled into the receiver, his voice still thick with fatigue.  
  
“Iwaizumi-san, I’m so sorry!” It was Kindaichi, one of the newer members of Special Investigations. “It’s an emergency!”  
  
A cold weight of dread settled in his chest, and he instantly became more alert. Beside him, Oikawa sat up and rubbed sleepily at his eyes. “What? Did something happen? What’s wrong?”  
  
“It’s... It’s Matsukawa-san and Hanamaki-san. They’re...” He stumbled over his words, his voice trembling as he tried to control his emotions. “They’re in the hospital. Hanamaki-san is in critical condition, a-and they’re not sure if he’s going to make it yet. Matsukawa-san is severely injured, but he’s alive--”  
  
“What the _fuck_?” He practically launched himself out of bed as he reached for the nearest pair of pants he could find. “What happened?! What hospital are they at, and what’s their room number?”  
  
“Someone... someone attacked them, a few blocks from their apartment. They’re, uh...” His voice was shaky and breathless; Iwaizumi could hear the soft speech of Kunimi in the background, but couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. “Oh... Kunimi says they’re at Mercy, in room 218. But--?” He paused for a moment while Kunimi told him something else. “Hanamaki-san might... still be in surgery, though.”  
  
The usual bright green-blue of Kindaichi’s voice was static and muted with agitation and fear. _Not that I can blame him_ , Iwaizumi thought as he tried to calm down. His heart pounded too hard and fast in his chest as he slid his pants on one-handed. “All right, we’re gonna go there right away. Send me details of your location and the crime scene, anything you’ve got. And whatever you do, do not leave Kunimi’s side, got it? Stay together, no matter what.”  
  
“Yes! Please be careful, Iwaizumi-senpai!”  
  
“Same to you.” He hung up, and tossed his phone on the bed as he buckled his belt. Oikawa was watching him with a serious expression.  
  
“Who was it?” he asked quietly. Blue and grungy brown swirled in front of Iwaizumi’s eyes as he reached for a shirt; Oikawa’s calm was only half-genuine at best, a flimsy mask over fear that threatened to boil over. “Someone got hurt, right? Who was it, Hajime?”  
  
Iwaizumi didn’t look at him for a moment as he buttoned his shirt. “...Mattsun and Hanamaki,” he replied quietly. “Come on, get dressed. Let’s go see them.”  
  
Wordlessly, Oikawa got out of bed and dressed within just a few moments. He was silent all the way down to the car, and almost disturbingly calm as Iwaizumi relayed all the information he was getting from Kunimi and Kindaichi on the drive over to the hospital.  
  
“Hey. You okay?” Iwaizumi asked him quietly as he parked in the hospital’s lot and shut the engine off.  
  
Oikawa smiled at him, but Iwaizumi found it more chilling than reassuring. “I have to be, don’t I?”

* * *

A slightly agitated doctor led the both of them to room 218. “Detective Hanamaki-san just came out of surgery,” she explained quickly. “He needed multiple blood transfusions. He’s stabilized for now, but still in very bad condition. Detective Matsukawa-san also needed a transfusion, but his wounds were a little less severe.”  
  
“He got hit with a knife, right?” Oikawa asked quietly. “Twice?”  
  
She nodded. “He was stabbed once in the crook of his neck, and a second time in his right arm. One of the bullets that hit Hanamaki-san grazed Matsukawa-san’s right thigh as well.” They were all standing outside the door of room 218 now. “Last I checked, Matsukawa-san was awake, but he’s been given a heavy dose of pain medication.”  
  
“I understand. Thank you very much,” Oikawa said with a calm smile.  
  
She nodded once more. “It’s no trouble. Please call the front desk if you need anything. We’ll be by periodically to check on them anyway.”  
  
As she left, Iwaizumi and Oikawa turned to the door. The captain took a moment to close his eyes and take a deep, steadying breath before he opened it and walked inside; Iwaizumi followed close behind, and made sure to shut the door firmly behind him.  
  
Matsukawa and Hanamaki were in two separate beds, both hooked up to multiple machines with IVs. Hanamaki looked much worse for wear; a bandage covered the right side of his face, and he was frighteningly pale and still. His partner was watching him with glazed eyes, but glanced up at the captain and vice captain as they pulled up chairs.  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi greeted softly.  
  
Matsukawa nodded slowly, his movements dulled. His eyes drifted back over to Hanamaki. “He’s... he’s alive,” he said, so quietly they almost didn’t hear him. “He’s gonna be okay.”  
  
 _Almost sounds like he’s trying to reassure himself_ , Iwaizumi thought. He did his best to push his horror at seeing the both of them injured aside. _If I’m torn up about this, I can’t even imagine how broken Mattsun is right now..._ “Yeah. He’ll be fine.” He offered him a weak smile. “You’re both gonna be fine.”  
  
Matsukawa nodded again, and looked up, somewhat dazed as Oikawa gently pushed him back against the bed. “Lay back, okay, Mattsun?” he said gently. “Makki-chan isn’t going anywhere, and you need to heal too.”  
  
Reluctantly, he nodded again, and gingerly pulled the blankets up to his chin. “...Cold in here,” he whispered. He closed his eyes, and didn’t speak; for several moments, Oikawa and Iwaizumi thought he might’ve fallen asleep. But then, he sighed quietly. “I guess... you wanna know what happened. Right?”  
  
“You can tell us later,” Oikawa said gently. “Get a little bit of sleep first, okay? We’ll be right here when you wake up.”  
  
“Make sure nothing happens to Takahiro,” Matsukawa said, his voice raspy and thick with worry. “Make sure he’s okay while I’m asleep.” Iwaizumi felt his skin crawl with remorse and anxiety at the green-blue cloud of his voice, edged with yellow and red. “Please...”  
  
Oikawa gave him a comforting pat on the hand. “We’ll be right here the whole time, Mattsun. Nothing else will happen to Makki-chan, okay? We’ll be here with you until you wake up.” The words seemed to have their intended calming effect, and moments later, Matsukawa’s breathing slowed and evened out as he dozed off.  
  
Oikawa and Iwaizumi were silent for a long moment; the only sounds in the room were the soft breathing of the two injured officers, and the steady, quiet beeping of their heart monitors. But eventually, Iwaizumi spoke up.  
  
“Hey.” His voice was low and soft, a muted blue-green to his own eyes. “We’re gonna figure this out. Okay?”  
  
“You’re damn right we will.” Oikawa’s smile was devoid of light. “Guess we might have to get our hands extra dirty, if it comes down to it. Right, Iwa-chan?”  
  
Iwaizumi stared at him, long and hard. “...What do you mean, Oikawa?”  
  
The captain of Special Investigations looked back at the sleeping man in front of them. “You know exactly what I mean. Look at him. Look at Hanamaki, behind us. He nearly died. We almost lost both of them, and five other people are dead already.” He looked back at Iwaizumi, and there was dangerous promise in his dark eyes. “In all my years of duty, I’ve never taken a life, Hajime. But if it becomes necessary -- if there’s no other way to spare more innocent blood -- then I will.”  
  
Iwaizumi met his gaze head on. “It won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”  
  
Oikawa smiled again, but it was bitter and fragile. “We’ll see, Iwa-chan. We’ll see.”

* * *

Matsukawa woke an hour and a half later with a small whimper.   
  
His eyes flew open, alarmed and terrified before his gaze settled on the two detectives sitting beside him. Behind him, the beeping of his monitor sped up, too fast, blue and yellow colliding in Iwaizumi’s vision.  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi said quietly. “Mattsun, it’s okay. Nothing happened.”  
  
The beeping of Matsukawa’s heart monitor slowed to a more normal rhythm as he took in the room. “Did...” He paused, and coughed for a moment to clear his throat. “Is he... did he wake up yet?” He looked at Hanamaki’s bed as he said it, desperate for confirmation, and his shoulders slumped as Iwaizumi shook his head.  
  
“Soon,” he said. “Give him some time, all right? He’ll be fine. They stabilized him. He’s gonna make it.”  
  
His reassuring tone seemed to have an effect; Mattsun relaxed a little more, and looked less dreary as he let out a deep breath. “These bandages... really suck,” he said with a weak laugh. “I probably look like a mummy, huh?”  
  
“A little,” Iwaizumi said with a grin. They were wrapped across Matsukawa’s shoulder, neck, and torso.  
  
The injured detective pulled the blanket up to his chin once more. “So... story time, right?”  
  
Oikawa nodded. “Think you’re up to it, Mattsun?”  
  
“Yeah... yeah.” He took another deep breath, and closed his eyes for a moment before he began. The tale was a little disjointed, and he had to pause towards the end. Regret was painfully clear in his expression when he admitted to missing his shot.  
  
“I should’ve done better,” he whispered harshly. “It’s my fault that he’s... that Takahiro is...”  
  
“No.” Oikawa’s voice was firm and serious, raw with unusual but open honesty. “It’s not your fault. You saved his life. You saved each other. Okay?” Matsukawa nodded weakly in response, and Oikawa smiled a little. “Our little criminal knew what they were doing, though... We need to contact Mizoguchi and see what happened.”  
  
On cue, Iwaizumi’s phone began to buzz with an incoming call -- the ID read _VC Mizoguchi-san_. Without missing a beat, he flipped the phone open and hit the speaker. “Hello?”  
  
“Iwaizumi. Where are you and Oikawa at?” Mizoguchi asked. He sounded a little out of breath.  
  
“We’re in the hospital with Matsukawa and Hanamaki. They’ve both been stabilized, but Hanamaki’s still sleeping right now. What’s going on? Matsukawa said you were the one that directed them to the site last night.”  
  
Mizoguchi sighed. “Yeah, we got an anonymous tip late at night that there were shots fired. I sent them out, since they were the closest and part of the investigation anyway, but... it was probably a damn set up.” He paused for a moment, and spoke to someone in a hurried whisper; Iwaizumi couldn’t quite make out the words. “Sorry, I was talking to Watari-kun in forensics; we’re trying to piece everything together. I tried to get someone to trace the call I got, but it came through on a heavily encrypted line. No luck.”  
  
“You’re at the crime scene?” Oikawa asked.   
  
“Yeah,” Mizoguchi confirmed. “Can you get here soon? I want you to look over all of this with us. Watari and I are gonna join up with you to try and make up for the loss of manpower with Matsukawa and Hanamaki being hospitalized.”  
  
Oikawa looked over at Matsukawa for a moment; the injured man gave a slight nod of his head. “Sure thing, Vice Chief-san. We’re on our way.”  
  
“Thanks. I’ll text Iwaizumi the location and send over what details we already have.” The line went dead, and Iwaizumi put the phone back in his pocket with a sigh.  
  
“I don’t really wanna leave you two here,” he admitted uncomfortably. “Feels wrong. But...”  
  
“It’s cool,” Matsukawa said quietly. “Just... do what you have to.” His hands twisted nervously in the blanket. “But... I mean, you know. If you can spare anyone...”  
  
Oikawa’s face softened a little. “Hey, you guys like Kindaichi and Kunimi, right? Why don’t we put them on guard duty for you?”  
  
“Please,” Matsukawa said quickly. His eyes glanced over at Hanamaki’s still form in the nearby hospital bed. “I just...”  
  
“Don’t want to take any chances. It’s fine, Mattsun,” Oikawa said, his voice genuine and reassuring. “We’ll call Kindaichi and Kunimi and get them over here as soon as we can, okay? Get some rest, and let us know when Makki-chan wakes up!”  
  
Matsukawa nodded, and watched them leave silently until he found himself alone with Hanamaki once again. As he looked over at his partner and boyfriend’s still body, he felt a sudden swell in his chest, a surge in his mind -- a flood of all the feelings he’d desperately been trying to bottle up in front of his captain and vice captain.  
  
Regret, guilt, shame and terror were bitter and heavy on his shoulders as he laid back and let his tears fall freely -- and all the while, Hanamaki laid still, unnaturally silent and unaware of the other man’s pain.

* * *

“Kindaichi.” Iwaizumi’s voice was a little rough with exhaustion, but the word was soft and somewhat apologetic. “We need you to do us a favor. Kunimi, too.”  
  
“Sure!” Kindaichi said over the phone. “What it is, Iwaizumi-san?”  
  
“If you two could stay with Matsukawa and Hanamaki in the hospital for a few days, that’d be great. Sort of as a guard, you know? At least until Matsukawa’s head clears a bit, and Hanamaki wakes up. Longer, if nothing else comes up.” Beside him, Oikawa started the car, and began to pull out of their parking spot. “He’s worried about being unconscious at the same time as Hanamaki, and honestly, I am too. They’re the first targets of our serial killer that have actually survived, and right now, they’re more vulnerable than ever.”  
  
He could tell Kindaichi was nodding vigorously, even though he couldn’t see him. “Right! You can count on us! We’re in the office right now, so we can be there in maybe, uh... forty five minutes? I guess we should probably get some spare clothes first...”  
  
“Yeah. Bring your laptops, too. You can still work. Sleep in shifts as well. We already talked to the hospital staff to clear you. If the investigation heats up, we might put additional officers on security detail, but it shouldn’t be necessary.” He rolled his window down to get some fresh air. “Contact us if you have any problems.”  
  
After he ended the call, there was an uncomfortable silence in the car as Oikawa continued to drive. It seemed to drag on for far too long, until Iwaizumi sighed and decided to speak up. “They’re gonna be okay, you know.”  
  
Oikawa was quiet for a moment as he considered his response; the air was heavy with clouds of dark blue and teal. “Yeah. We’ll make sure of it.”

* * *

The crime scene was crawling with forensics staff and police officers.  
  
Iwaizumi and Oikawa ducked under the caution tape as they jogged over to Mizoguchi, who was talking to Watari in a hushed, hurried tone. As soon as they came into view, the vice chief straightened up and gave them a stiff wave. Dark circles sat under his eyes like bruises; he looked haggard and worn out.  
  
“Hey. They’re just about done taking stock of all the evidence; we can probably get this cleaned up in the next few hours or so.” His jaw clenched as he spoke. “It’s not as... nasty as the last crime scene. But there was something interesting left behind this time.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Oikawa asked quietly.  
  
“Look at this.” He turned to pluck a small ziploc bag out of Watari’s hands, and dangled it in front of Oikawa’s face. “This was found about five meters from where Hanamaki and Matsukawa were attacked.” Iwaizumi and Oikawa squinted and leaned in closer -- and gasped in unison.  
  
A battered Shiratorizawa PD patch.  
  
“Is there any DNA evidence on it?” Oikawa asked in an icy tone. “Do we know who it belongs to yet?”  
  
“It’s hard to say right now,” Mizoguchi replied as he handed the bag to Watari again. “Forensics is going to start running tests as soon as they get everything back to the lab. Watari’s going to contact you as soon as he knows the results.” He jerked his head to the area directly behind him. “Feel free to take a look at the scene. I’m going to compile a folder of all the photos and data and have it sent to your email directly.”  
  
“Thanks,” Iwaizumi replied. He followed Oikawa to the area directly behind the vice chief, and felt his stomach clench in disgust and anxiety.  
  
The concrete was covered in an astonishing amount of blood.  
  
Crimson coated nearly an enter meter of the area; from a quick glance, Oikawa could tell that most of it was from their wounds steadily bleeding, but there was also splatter from the gunshots that had hit Hanamaki. Iwaizumi could see the line of Oikawa’s shoulders visibly tense as his eyes scanned the area, silent and sharp.  
  
“The bullets must not have passed through Makki-chan,” he said quietly. “Aside from one over there.”  
  
“Mm. And I’m guessing the shot Matsukawa fired landed somewhere in the opposite direction,” Iwaizumi mused. He glanced at the email in his phone. “Yeah. Looks like forensics still has to recover the bullets the hospital got from Hanamaki’s leg. And the patch was found...”  
  
Oikawa turned, and pointed to a marked off area beyond the blood. “There.”  
  
Iwaizumi sighed as he kept scrolling through his email. “Whoever’s been doing this knows exactly how to cover their tracks... aside from that patch, maybe. This is the first time there’s been any really solid evidence like that.”  
  
Oikawa flashed him a ruthless smile. “Well, we’ll certainly have to take advantage of that, won’t we?”  
  
With a shake of his head, Iwaizumi crossed his arms. “We can’t jump to conclusions yet, right? What if it was deliberate?”  
  
He felt a chill in his heart as Oikawa regarded him coldly, his eyes slightly narrowed in thought. “Like if someone’s trying to frame Shiratorizawa, Iwa-chan? Is that what you’re saying?”  
  
“Well, yeah,” he said, a little bit defensive. “Look, I know you hate Shiratorizawa as much as the rest of us, maybe more, but we can’t just assume they’re the ones responsible for this shit, right? What if it’s someone else that knows about the tensions between our departments? It’s not exactly a secret.”  
  
Oikawa sighed, clearly disgusted. “I’ll consider it a possibility,” he snapped. “But I won’t let Shiratorizawa slip from our grasp if it _is_ their fault.”  
  
Iwaizumi bit his lip, and resisted the urge to smack Oikawa on the side of his head. _Probably the worst possible time to get pissed at him, and I’m not exactly in good shape either_ , he thought to himself. His stomach clenched as he thought about the bloodsoaked concrete just a few steps behind them. “Just don’t let yourself get caught up in a trap,” he said, irritation bleeding into his words. “You’re a damn good detective, one of the best. But there’s a chance someone’s playing us, and you damn well know it.”  
  
“Tch.” Oikawa turned away, and continued looking around the area for all the physical evidence that hadn’t yet been stored away. Iwaizumi sighed and followed him, resolved to keep him in line if necessary.  
  
 _This case is a fucking mess,_ Iwaizumi thought bleakly. _And we’re already starting to fall apart at the seams._

* * *

Ushijima gripped his pastry just a little too tightly as he read through his email.  
  
“Did something happen?” Shirabu asked. They were standing outside of the cafe they’d begun to frequent, not too far from Seijou’s police headquarters. “You look upset.”  
  
Ushijima’s brow furrowed. “Yes. Another shooting, but this time, there were some differences.” He glanced around; the area wasn’t busy, but there were people nearby. After looking both ways, he strode across the street, his partner just a few steps behind; once they were relatively alone, with the nearest person several meters away, he leaned in close to Shirabu.  
  
The vice captain held back a shiver as Ushijima’s lips just barely brushed the shell of his ear. “This time, the victims survived, but just barely. And they were veteran members of Seijou Special Investigations, just under Oikawa and his vice captain,” Ushijima whispered. “It happened early this morning, but they’re being really quiet about it. Very strange.”  
  
Shirabu let his eyes fall shut for a long moment as he thought, and then he nodded before turning; he got up on his tiptoes, and brought his lips close to Ushijima’s ear as he spoke quietly. _He’s so warm..._ “Maybe because they’re higher ranking officers, and to avoid panic, since it’s so close to the last one? Or... maybe they found something this time.”  
  
To anyone else, Ushijima wouldn’t seem startled, but Shirabu had known him long enough to know that he was surprised. “A good point,” he replied quietly. “I wonder if there’s a way we can get access to the evidence they collected... Semi may be able to access their forensics files under normal circumstances.”  
  
“But these aren’t normal circumstances,” Shirabu said quietly. “They may have increased their security. It could be worth a shot, though... especially if it’s something that might be especially incriminating to an officer.”  
  
Ushijima nodded his agreement. “Yes. We don’t want to risk them trying to cover anything up.” He sighed, and looked into Shirabu’s eyes, almost searchingly. “Perhaps we could tail Oikawa and his vice captain to find out more information, while we wait for Semi to try and hack into their systems. And maybe we could track some other members of the force as well.”  
  
Shirabu nervously tapped at the lid of his coffee. “Oikawa-san and his partner would be the most difficult targets, I think. They’re extremely perceptive and skilled, and they’re very familiar with us.”  
  
“That’s true.” Just then, a quiet meow caught Ushijima’s attention; he turned away from Shirabu, and saw the cat from the other day sitting at his feet with curious, pleading eyes. Without hesitation, he kneeled down, and picked off a part of his pastry. “Hello, cat. It’s nice to see you’re still doing well. Here’s a treat, like I promised last time.”  
  
Carefully, the cat picked the piece of pastry from between his fingers, and ate it within the span of a few seconds. When it was done, it began to purr loudly, and rubbed itself against Ushijima’s leg. “You’re welcome. I’m glad that we met again. We’ll stop by tomorrow too, okay?”  
  
Shirabu felt his chest grow warm at the soft smile on Ushijima’s face. “You’re very good with animals, Ushijima-san.”  
  
Ushijima stood up, and dusted off his knees. “I guess. I never really thought about it.” He turned to walk, and Shirabu started to follow, but the captain halted when he realized the cat was following him. He kneeled once more, and scratched it gently behind the ears as he spoke, his words soft but serious. “I’m sorry, cat. We have to do dangerous things. If you come with us right now, it could be bad. Maybe later.” He stood up and waved to it. “I promise we’ll stop by tomorrow too.”  
  
Shirabu felt his heart beating just a little too hard as they both began to walk back towards the car. “...Do you think it could actually understand you?” He paused, and then added, “...and were you implying it could come with us some other time?”  
  
“I don’t see why it wouldn’t understand. Animals are much more intelligent than most people give them credit for.” He took a bite of the pastry in his hand, and chewed thoughtfully as he walked. “And it’s a stray. So if it’s still around when we finish the case, maybe I can help it. It’s too skinny, and lonely.”  
  
Respect and admiration mixed with adoration in Shirabu’s heart, and he desperately tried to squash the feeling down as he gripped his coffee just a bit too tight. The cup was warm against the palm of his hand, soothing against the maelstrom of his thoughts. “You’re amazing,” he blurted, his voice quiet and just a little breathless as they finally reached the car.  
  
Ushijima turned to look at him, his eyes searching, and slightly wide with a hint of surprise. “...Well, I guess so,” he said. “But why are you saying that now?”  
  
A faint pink surged to Shirabu’s cheeks as he quickly took a sip of his coffee to hide his obvious embarrassment. “I just mean... you’re good at a lot of things. But I think there are things about you that most people don’t know or appreciate.”  
  
A moment passed in silence as Ushijima watched him quietly. Most would find it unnerving, but Shirabu knew he was considering his words. “You’re right. I think only a few other people know about me talking to animals.” He paused again before continuing. “And they’re my family. So I suppose they may not count to most.”  
  
Shirabu laughed a little. “Well, not just that. You’re a good guy.”  
  
Ushijima blinked, a little surprised once more. “Oh. Do you think so?”  
  
Shirabu nodded. “Well, obviously.”  
  
“Hmm.” He put a hand on his hip as he thought. “Most people think I’m an asshole.”  
  
A small chuckle made its way past Shirabu’s lips, even as he tried to hide it behind his cup. “Well, like I said. They don’t know you the way I do, Ushijima-san.”  
  
He moved to the passenger side, and got into the car as Ushijima entered the other door. After a few moments, they were both buckled up, with their coffee and pastries secured. Ushijima put the keys in the ignition, but then suddenly stopped just before he started the car.  
  
“...Shirabu,” he said, very seriously. “You really do know me better than anyone else, with the exception of my family.” He looked down at the wheel in thought. “...And I think you might actually know me better than them, in some ways. We’ve worked together for a few years now.”  
  
Shirabu felt his blood grow warmer. “...Uh, yeah. I mean, I feel that way too...”  
  
Ushijima turned and met his eyes, and Shirabu felt his breath catch in his throat as he was treated to another of the captain’s rare, soft smiles. “Well, if you’d prefer, you can call me Wakatoshi.”  
  
 _I wonder if being flustered can cause me to combust on the spot,_ Shirabu thought as he felt his cheeks grow visibly hot. “Oh. Uh... sure. W...Wakatoshi.” He felt himself smile, despite how clearly embarrassed he was. “You can call me... Kenjirou. If you want to.”  
  
“Mm. Kenjirou.” Ushijima tapped at the wheel, still smiling as he tested it out; Shirabu felt his heart skip a beat. “I like it. I like your family name, too. But this feels more right.”  
  
“Yeah... yeah. I think so too.” He smiled as Ushijima met his eyes again. “Thanks, ah... Wakatoshi.”  
  
Ushijima started the engine, and the smile still hadn’t left his face. “Think nothing of it, Kenjirou.”

* * *

Oikawa was unusually quiet.  
  
He was absolutely flawless and methodical as he questioned nearby residents and looked over the evidence gathered by forensics. But his usual whimsical air was completely gone, replaced by razor-sharp focus and dedication. It seeped into the rest of the office, almost like it was contagious; the office of Special Investigations was tense and unusually somber.  
  
The takeout that Iwaizumi had ordered sat in front of the captain, cold and untouched as he relentlessly read and re-read all the documents and photos that they’d gathered over the course of the case so far. As the minutes bled into hours, the sky outside dimmed and darkened, and the building and office both steadily grew more and more empty as people went home for the evening.  
  
Thirty minutes before midnight, when they were the only two left in the office, Iwaizumi walked up beside Oikawa, and shut his laptop without saying a word.  
  
Oikawa spun in his chair, frustration and a hint of anger clear on his face. “I was _working.”_  
  
“Yeah, no shit.” Iwaizumi crossed his arms, and looked entirely unaffected by the outburst. “You’ve been _working_ for about, what, eighteen hours now? It’s time to go home and rest.”  
  
Oikawa’s brow furrowed, his voice a pulsating cloud of red, sickly yellow and orange. “Do you think our killer is going to take a break? Do you think they’re just going to _wait_ for me to get my act together, and stop trying to murder our friends in the meantime?” Each word got louder and louder as he continued to talk, until he was almost yelling. “What if they take out two more people while I’m _resting_? _Then what_?!”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his brow twitch in irritation, and he pushed Oikawa back into his chair before getting so close to his face that he could see the detail of all his lashes. “You will be _useless_ if you don’t get some _god damn sleep_ , Shittykawa. _Yes_ , the killer is probably taking a break. They’re not going on a mass murder spree without stopping -- there’s always a little time in between. And what are you gonna do if we run into them, and you’re so fucking exhausted that you can barely stand, let alone think straight or react at full capacity?”  
  
Oikawa balled his hands into fists, and slammed them on the arms of his chair. For a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of his breathing.  
  
“It feels like... it feels like it’s my fault.” The red and orange were gone, and now teal and green mixed with the faded, mottled yellow. His voice was quiet, nearly a whisper. “If I could have--”  
  
“Stop. Seriously.” Iwaizumi put his hands over Oikawa’s, still so close that their noses nearly touched. “It’s not your fault. You’re doing the best you can. We _all_ are. All right?” He leaned forward just a bit, and the tips of their noses brushed, just slightly. “Let’s go home and get some sleep.”  
  
For a long, long moment, Oikawa didn’t respond. But finally, in a swirl of faded blue and green, Iwaizumi got his answer. “All right.”

* * *

The captain was still unusually silent as Iwaizumi drove back to the apartment.  
  
Once they were inside, Iwaizumi steered his partner with a palm on his shoulder, and pushed him into the bathroom. “Take a shower,” he said gruffly. “I’ll meet you in your room after I take one too, all right?”  
  
At the corner of Oikawa’s lips, there was the barest hint of a playful smile. “Ooh, Iwa-chan... how forward.”  
  
“Shut up,” he growled half-heartedly in response. He gave Oikawa a gentle shove, and turned away so the other man couldn’t see the faint burn in his cheeks. “Hurry up, okay? We need all the sleep we can get. No screwing around tonight.”  
  
He got a purple-fuschia hum in response, and felt his pulse quicken. _He’s happy. For a moment, at least, he was... because of me._ The thought carried a whisper of hope in it, a desire to finally make his move, born of a mixture of longing, fear, and selfishness.  
  
He pushed it to the corners of his mind as he walked into his own bathroom, and quickly stripped off his clothing. He wasted no time in turning the water on to the exact temperature that he liked, just a little more than lukewarm. A sigh of pleasure escaped his lips as he stepped under the spray and felt himself immediately relax; it felt incredible after all the stress he’d been going through lately.  
  
A wisp of need surged into his blood as he quickly soaped himself up; the feeling of his own hand against his skin was surprisingly nice. _I guess it has been like... damn, almost two weeks._ He tapped his fingers against his hip as he quickly considered his options. _I said to hurry up, but... a couple extra minutes couldn’t hurt, right?  
  
_ With an embarrassed sigh, he made his decision and let his fingers fall, lower and lower, until they curled around his half-hard cock. Slowly, he began to stroke himself, and leaned against the wall of the shower as he felt himself begin to grow harder. The tiles were cool against his cheek, and his eyes slipped closed -- when suddenly, his partner came to mind.  
  
It was far from the first time he’d found Oikawa in his thoughts while he touched himself, but he was always a little embarrassed to look the captain in the eye for a day or two after he’d do it. He bit his lip as the idea of the other man on his knees came into his mind, looking up at him with hungry eyes, a pink tongue slowly licking his lips...  
  
His hand began to move faster; he was completely hard now as he fantasized about Oikawa slowly licking a long, wet stripe along his entire length. He pressed his face harder against the wall as he thought of the other man taking him entirely into his mouth; _he’d probably be so into it,_ Iwaizumi thought. The Oikawa in his mind’s eye was smirking and moaning obscenely even around a mouthful of cock, stroking himself even as he sucked Iwaizumi off like a pro.  
  
 _Fuck,_ Iwaizumi thought as he let out a quiet moan. Pressure coiled inside of him as he gasped again, and thought of curling his fingers in Oikawa’s soft brown hair -- pulling, just a little, thrusting his hips forward into his hot, wet mouth--  
  
He felt his toes curl a little as he brought a hand to his face to muffle the gasping moan that wrenched itself from his throat as he came against the wall. As the orgasm rippled through his body like a shockwave, he kept stroking himself through it, imagining that he was covering Oikawa’s face in his cum all the while.  
  
Several long, delicious moments later, he’d finally milked himself dry; he let the warm water wash away the evidence, and felt a significant amount of stress leave him, only to be replaced with even more fatigue.  
  
 _Damn, I’m even more exhausted,_ he thought ruefully as he reached for the shampoo to quickly wash his hair. _Well... at least I should get some good sleep tonight._ He finished the rest of his shower in a rush, and brushed his teeth twice as fast as he normally did. After he turned off the light and hung his towel up, he stepped back into his dark room and picked up a pair of pajama pants that he’d left on the top of his bed. Quickly, he pulled them on and then left his room; he shut the door quietly behind himself, and casually strolled down the hallway, like he hadn’t just gotten off to Oikawa a few minutes before.  
  
But when he let himself into Oikawa’s room, he found it strangely empty. The light to the other man’s bathroom was still on, and Iwaizumi could hear the sound of running water from the sink.  
  
 _...Heh. Looks like I wasn’t the only one taking a little longer than usual._ He stretched out on the bed for a moment before he crawled under the blanket and put his arms behind his head; almost immediately, he could feel himself beginning to drift off to sleep.  
  
A moment later, the light to the bathroom was gone, and Oikawa walked into the room wearing nothing aside from the towel he had slung low on his hips. Iwaizumi cracked an eye open and found his partner smiling at him, before the captain turned towards his dresser for a clean pair of pajama pants.  
  
“Sorry I took so long,” Oikawa said quietly. “Guess I lost track of time.”  
  
Iwaizumi savored the color, the tones of violet and fuchsia almost heavenly to his sight. “It’s fine. I’ve only been here for a minute or so anyway.”  
  
Oikawa hummed; his back was to Iwaizumi as he dropped the towel, and despite himself, Iwaizumi couldn’t help but sneak a peek. They’d seen each other naked several times over the course of their lives -- school locker rooms had been a thing, after all, and they’d been roommates for ten years -- so it was nothing new, but he felt his heart speed up a little just the same.  
  
He wrenched his eyes away just as Oikawa turned around to face him, and almost desperately hoped that he didn’t look guilty. When he felt the mattress dip under the other man’s weight, he looked over to see Oikawa smiling at him knowingly in the dim light.  
  
“Ready to sleep?” he asked with a playful lilt. Iwaizumi was certain that he knew -- one of Oikawa’s many, many strengths was how frighteningly perceptive he was. But as Iwaizumi nodded, Oikawa simply got under the blankets and turned off the lamp at his bedside without a single teasing word. A moment later, he could feel the warmth of Oikawa’s body as he wrapped an arm around Iwaizumi’s torso and snuggled up close to him. “Mm, you’re so comfortable.”  
  
The colors dancing in front of Iwaizumi’s eyes made his heart skip a beat. “You’re happy,” he said quietly, before he could stop himself. “I mean--”  
  
Oikawa’s quiet chuckle was warm to his ears, thrumming with rich tones of pink and purple. “Of course I am, Hajime. I’m here with you.”

* * *

The days began to blur together.  
  
Things felt different, wrong, with Matsukawa and Hanamaki both absent; Mizoguchi and Watari both stopped by occasionally to talk, but it wasn’t the same at all. Countless people were questioned, and the data they all looked over was endless; Iwaizumi was pretty sure if he ever saw another spreadsheet in his life, it would be too soon.  
  
“Still can’t decide if that Shiratorizawa patch was planted or not,” Iwaizumi groaned into his coffee. “It’s either a really good lead, or a seriously bad idea.”  
  
Oikawa was quiet as he stared at his own laptop screen. It had been three days since Hanamaki and Matsukawa were hospitalized, and despite all of Iwaizumi’s intervention and insistence on resting, startlingly dark circles rested beneath his eyes. The office was empty aside from the two of them once again, and through the window, they could see the last bit of dusk fading from the night sky.  
  
“Hey.” Iwaizumi’s voice was soft. “Let’s go home, okay?”  
  
For a moment, Oikawa didn’t reply; but then he nodded, and reached for his blazer as he stood up. At the same time, Iwaizumi’s phone began to ring. He gave it an irritated look before seeing that it was Yahaba, and flipped it open to answer. “Hey, something wrong? It’s almost one in the morning.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Iwaizumi-san,” Yahaba said breathlessly. “There’s an emergency. We need you on location immediately.”  
  
A sense of dread sat heavy in his stomach like a lead weight as he reached for his keys. “What happened?”  
  
“Kyotani, go with them! Sorry,” he said, his voice ragged with fatigue. “There’s... there’s been another shooting--”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his blood run cold. “What? Who was it? Are they--?”  
  
Yahaba’s voice was navy blue with fear and exhaustion. “Vice Chief Mizoguchi and forensic specialist Watari. Watari-kun was shot twice and is in critical condition; Mizoguchi-san was hit four times, but three of them hit his bulletproof vest.”  
  
“ _Fuck_. We’ll be there in a second, just text me the location--”  
  
“Sorry, Iwaizumi-san, there’s one more thing you should know.” Yahaba’s voice was suddenly very quiet, laced with uncertainty. “It only happened about half an hour ago, but... the forensic specialists on the scene already found something...”  
  
The sense of dread grew worse. “What is it? Spit it out!”  
  
“Watari-kun... underneath his hand, there was something written in blood. It... It was Oikawa-san’s name.”

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 5_

 


	5. Chapter 5

“I’m going to be a suspect now.”  
  
The words were calm and cold, almost clinical. Iwaizumi knew the chilling serenity in the other man’s voice was deceptive, like the eye of a storm. “Yeah,” he managed, “probably. I mean, you have an alibi, but--”  
  
“Logic won’t matter to most people, once word starts getting out about it.” He stared out of the window as Iwaizumi continued driving. “It’ll be more than enough to paint me in a suspicious light, regardless of alibis.”  
  
Iwaizumi chewed at his bottom lip a little. “D’you think someone’s trying to frame you, then? Watari seems like the last person that would go writing a name in blood...”  
  
“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed. “If it was anyone else, I’d consider the possibility of it being a warning. But Watari is one of the leaders of the forensics department. He knows exactly how something like that would be interpreted.” He fell silent, and quickly blinked back the faintest hint of tears. “Or... knew, I guess.”  
  
“Hey,” Iwaizumi said sharply, “he’s still alive. Don’t talk like that.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile was terrifyingly hollow, his voice a cold, desaturated blue and green. “He was shot in the head, Hajime. If he makes it through this--”  
  
“He will,” Iwaizumi insisted. “And we’ll buy him a beer when he gets out of the hospital to celebrate.” He paused for a moment in thought. “Hell, let’s just throw a party for everyone once the case is closed and they’ll all back on their feet. We all deserve one.”  
  
Oikawa didn’t reply, but Iwaizumi was kind of glad he didn’t, because the color of his voice -- of his regret, fear and anger -- was nearly too much to bear.

* * *

When they reached the crime scene several minutes later, Yahaba was there to greet them.  
  
“Hey,” he said breathlessly. “Kyotani’s holding off the press with some other guys from the department, and I’ve been talking with forensics.”  
  
Oikawa nodded. “Any word on the condition of Mizoguchi-san and Watari?”  
  
Yahaba shook his head, and led them under the line of police tape. “Last we heard, Mizoguchi-san was awake and really, really pissed. Sounds like he got really freaked out, not that I can blame him. But Watari...” His voice became very quiet, a somber cloud of deep, cold blues. “Honestly, it’ll be a miracle if he survives.”  
  
Iwaizumi could see the tension rise in Oikawa’s shoulders as he clenched his jaw. “All right,” the captain said with that same deceptive calm, “let’s see what happened, shall we?”  
  
Yahaba pointed towards a large tree in the middle of the tiny park that they were walking through. “Right over here, beneath that tree, Oikawa-san. Mizoguchi-san is the only witness we know of, but since he’s hurt, he’s not exactly up for questioning just yet. Maybe later today, though... We haven’t gotten his story yet, just the barest of details.”  
  
Oikawa visibly grimaced as he caught sight of a huge blood splatter around a bullet hole in the tree trunk. “Is that...”  
  
“That’s where Watari was shot,” Yahaba confirmed quietly. “The bullet passed completely through his head. The second one was lodged in his torso.” He pointed to the ground, where another pool of blood had seeped into the grass and splashed over the slabs of stone that surrounded the tree in a ring. “That’s where Mizoguchi-san was shot. Most of the bullets hit him in his vest. Only one actually hit him -- right in the arm.”

“Hm.” He paced the area a bit, deep in thought. “Any info on the firearm that was used?”  
  
“Not yet,” Yahaba replied. “But if we had to guess... the standard .38 revolver than the force carries.”  
  
Iwaizumi nodded. “Yeah, probably.” He walked closer to the large gray rocks around the tree. “...There’s the name in blood.”  
  
Sure enough, it stood out against the light gray rocks. **_Oikawa Tooru._** Yahaba looked uncomfortable, and sighed. “Captain... I know some people will get the wrong idea about this. But... I know you didn’t do it. Everyone in Special Investigations knows this wasn’t you.”  
  
Oikawa gave him a small, miniscule smile, and nodded. “Well, that’s a load off of my shoulders. Thanks, Yahaba-chan.”  
  
“Hey, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said gruffly, “what should we do next?”  
  
“There isn’t much we _can_ do, aside from looking over the data and waiting on forensics and ballistics to finish their reports.” He tapped at his chin thoughtfully. “Let’s go back to the office and do some more paperwork and--”  
  
“No,” Iwaizumi interrupted. “It’s late as hell. Let’s get some rest, and go from there. We can visit Mizoguchi and Watari when they're stabilized.”  
  
Oikawa sighed, and his shoulders slumped a little in defeat. “Come on, Iwa-chan. I can pull an all-nighter with no problem.”  
  
Iwaizumi gave him his best glare, and ignored him as he turned back to Yahaba. “We’ll go home and be up early in the morning. Send us all the data that can be compiled from the shooting.”  
  
“Roger that.” Yahaba waved at the two of them as Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa away. He kept looking at them for several moments, and the resolution in his heart grew even stronger.  
  
 _We’ll do our best to close this case and clear your name, Oikawa-san._

* * *

For the first time in a while, there was a crack in Oikawa’s false cheer.  
  
Usually, his words and smiles were all plastic and steel, unbreakable even though Iwaizumi could see right through them. But the weight of everything had started to become too much.  
  
“I don’t...” His voice broke a little on the word, and he cringed as he tried to collect himself while Iwaizumi continued driving. “I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to sleep tonight,” he admitted uneasily. “I need to work, I need to close this case before -- before something worse happens,” he finished with a whisper.  
  
Iwaizumi was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “You need to rest. But we’ll stick together, okay? We’ll figure this out. It’ll be fine.”  
  
Oikawa continued to stare out of the window, and desperately wished he could believe him.

* * *

Hanamaki felt cold.  
  
Slowly, he cracked his eyes open; it took way more effort than it ever had before, and he was almost tempted to just let them stay shut --  
  
Until he remembered everything that led him to lose consciousness.  
  
The room slowly came into focus as he blinked. At his side, Kunimi and Kindaichi were both sitting in chairs, almost like guardians. “...H..ey,” he croaked out, his voice hoarse and rough. “What...”  
  
“You’re awake! Kunimi, he’s awake!” Kindaichi exclaimed. He scooted closer with a wide smile on his face. “Thank God -- hold on, we should call a nurse--”  
  
“Where’s -- Issei, is he...”  
  
Kunimi patted him gently on the arm. “He’s sleeping in the other bed behind us. He’s okay.” He stretched a little, and gave the injured detective a rueful smile. “You’ve been out for like, two days now.”  
  
“Two days...” He sighed, and closed his eyes again for a moment. “Did I miss anything while I was out?”  
  
Immediately, the other two men looked upset. “There... was another shooting,” Kindaichi admitted. “Vice Chief Mizoguchi is fine, but Watari in forensics is still in critical condition.”  
  
Hanamaki swore quietly. “What about Oikawa and Iwaizumi? Are they holding up okay?”  
  
Kunimi chewed at his bottom lip. “Well, for now, I think. But it seems like someone might be trying to frame Oikawa-san.” He quickly explained about the crime scene that Watari and Mizoguchi had been injured at. “People are going to suspect him,” Kunimi said, clearly a little upset, “even though he has a rock-solid alibi.”  
  
“Damn,” Hanamaki whispered. “I wish I could help, but instead I’m stuck in this stupid bed...”  
  
Kindaichi quickly shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, Makki-san! Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san are two of the best detectives in the country. And you did your duty well. You... you saved Matsukawa-san’s life. You know that, right?”  
  
Hanamaki looked conflicted. “I could’ve done better, though. He shouldn’t have been injured at all--”  
  
“You’re too hard on yourself, Takahiro.” Matsukawa’s voice was rough and quiet, but Hanamaki could still hear him clearly. “We saved each other... and we’ll be fine. Kunimi and Kindaichi are right... okay?”  
  
Kunimi and Kindaichi quickly scooted their chairs out of the way so that the two injured men had a clear line of sight to one another. A soft, exhausted smile lit up Matsukawa’s face as he took in every detail of his boyfriend, and his dark eyes were glimmering with tears of regret. “Hey.”  
  
“Excuse us. We’ll be right outside the door,” Kunimi said politely. He stood and grabbed Kindaichi firmly by the wrist, and dragged him out of the room before he could even think to protest.  
  
“Nice of them to give us a little privacy,” Matsukawa laughed. His smile was full of sadness. “I’d ask how you’re feeling, but... I’m pretty sure I know the answer.”  
  
“Yeah, I feel like I got shot a couple times,” Hanamaki said drily. But he smiled right back at the other man. “Relieved, though, I guess.”  
  
Matsukawa gave him a questioning look. “How come?”  
  
“Because we’re both alive,” he whispered. “Because I didn’t lose you. And you didn’t lose me, either.”  
  
The smile on Matsukawa’s face instantly became warmer and less sad. “You being so sweet really makes me wanna kiss you, y’know.”  
  
Hanamaki gave him a weak grin in response. “Well, once you can get up out of that bed, you’re welcome to it. In fact, I’ll hold you to that.” His eyes twinkled in the dim light. “Give me a good one, and I’ll consider us even.”  
  
Matsukawa’s demeanor brightened even more. “Ooh, you drive a hard bargain, Detective. But I think I can manage that much, at least.” A knock sounded against the door, and he raised his voice a little to say, “Coast is clear, kiddos.”  
  
Kindaichi and Kunimi shuffled back into the room, and closed the door gently behind them. “Is there anything we can get for you?” Kunimi asked. “Are you thirsty?”  
  
“I’d kill a man for a melon soda,” Hanamaki groaned. “Well, maybe not _literally_ ,” he chuckled.  
  
“Same for me, please,” Matsukawa chimed in.  
  
“I’ll go get them,” Kunimi offered. “You stay here just in case, okay?”  
  
Kindaichi nodded, and watched him leave before he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, both injured officers were watching him curiously. “We’re still stationed here for now,” he explained. “Sorry, Hanamaki-san; you missed that, since you were unconscious. But Kunimi and I are here to guard you both until things settle down.”  
  
“Ooh, our own bodyguards. Guess we should be honored,” he said with a strained laugh. “Sorry for the trouble.”  
  
“It’s no trouble at all!” Kindaichi insisted. “If anything, this is the least we can do, after all you’ve done for the department. I mean...” He paused for a moment in thought. “Well, you’ve always done so much for us. So now it’s our turn to do something for you.”   
  
Hanamaki smiled warmly at him, just as Kunimi came back with an arm full of sodas. “I got one for each of us,” he explained as he handed one to Kindaichi. “Want me to open yours, Hanamaki-san?”  
  
“Sure, thanks.” He winced as he sat up a little, but a reassuring smile was still firmly on his face. “Now... let’s talk about the case, shall we?”

* * *

Oikawa’s movements were almost robotic as he went through his evening routine and got ready for bed.  
  
It didn’t escape Iwaizumi’s notice, of course. Without even asking, he climbed into bed beside Oikawa, and shut the bedside lamp off.  
  
In the darkness, he could still see the faint traces of his voice, little wisps of blues floating through shadow. A moment later, he felt the warmth of his partner’s body as Oikawa snuggled close. But this time, there was no playful teasing to follow it, no flirty remarks -- just Oikawa holding onto him in a way that almost seemed desperate and afraid.  
  
“...Hey,” he whispered softly into the darkness. “Are you...” _Okay,_ he’d been about to ask, _but obviously he isn’t. None of us are._ He sighed. “Talk to me, Tooru.”  
  
Oikawa chuckled against his ear, yellow and mottled green clouds seeping against blue waves. “There’s nothing to say. I’m working on a very limited amount of time and gambling the lives of everyone in the force, Hajime.” Iwaizumi tried to hold back a shiver as a chill crept up his spine, despite the warmth of the man beside him. “And now half of them probably think I’m the one killing them.”  
  
Iwaizumi rolled over, and met Oikawa’s gaze head on as the tips of their noses touched. “We’ll figure it out. All right?”  
  
Oikawa’s smile was anything but reassuring. “Oh, I know we will, Iwa-chan. And I’m pretty sure I already know that Ushiwaka-chan is the one responsible.” Red swirled in front of Iwaizumi’s eyes, and he felt his uneasiness grow at the glint in his partner’s eyes. “All I have to do is put enough pieces together to take him down.”  
  
Instead of replying, Iwaizumi drew him closer, unwilling to continue the conversation. _He needs rest, not something to get keyed up about._ Oikawa hummed, quietly pleased, as he nuzzled against Iwaizumi’s collarbone and quickly fell asleep from exhaustion that he’d been doing his best to hide.  
  
Minutes stretched into nearly an hour as Iwaizumi’s thoughts kept him awake; the nagging fear that Oikawa was making a huge mistake, and the thought of the potential consequences made his skin crawl with uneasiness. Eventually, he fell into a restless sleep, heavy with vivid and stressful nightmares -- but at least Oikawa was right beside him.

* * *

“There he is.”  
  
“Kind of shameless to show his face now, right?”  
  
“You’d think he’d be a little less open after so blatantly failing to kill that forensics specialist...”  
  
“How is he even allowed in here right now? Aren’t they worried about our safety?”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his skin crawl with disgust as he and Oikawa walked through the lobby of the police department. He took a step towards the two men that were gossiping, but they suddenly stopped when Oikawa turned and gave them a perfectly sweet smile. “Good afternoon, officers! Isn’t the weather _lovely_ today?”  
  
They gave him twin looks of mistrust and terror, and quickly walked away down the corridor. The captain turned back to Iwaizumi, the fake happiness still plastered on his face. “Oh, I guess they were too busy to chat. How _unfortunate,_ right, Iwa-chan?”  
  
“Aren’t you bothered by this shit? They’re probably not the only ones running their mouths,” Iwaizumi seethed. “Fucking disgraceful.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile didn’t waver. “People will talk, Iwa-chan. The only thing we can do to quiet them is prove them wrong by closing the case.” He leaned in, and the smile on his lips became just a little smug and conspiratorial. “And proving them wrong will feel _so_ damn good.”  
  
Iwaizumi sighed, and hooked an arm around Oikawa’s shoulders as they continued towards the elevator to reach the Special Investigations office. “Fair enough. Still wanna knock some sense into them, though. If they’ve got time to gossip like high schoolers, they’ve got time to get some damn work done.”  
  
“It’s so flattering to see you get angry on my behalf, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa said brightly. “Don’t you worry, my pocket-sized knight in shining kevlar. Your grumpy face soothes any burns their nasty words might give me!”  
  
“Shut up,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he pushed the button to call the elevator.   
  
Oikawa hummed happily as they walked through the doors together. Iwaizumi wasn’t fooled by the false cheer, no matter how much it might trick everyone else. As the day wore on, every whisper, every sidelong glance, cut into the Special Investigations captain just a little deeper -- and doubled Iwaizumi’s resolve to close the case.  
  
 _I’ll figure this out. I’ll prove every single one of them wrong._ Disgust and anger simmered in his heart. _Fucking disrespectful amateurs. After everything Oikawa’s done for this force, and one shitty piece of falsified evidence is enough to change their opinions of him like that?_  
  
He finished his lukewarm coffee in one big gulp, and slammed the mug back onto the table in the office with just a bit too much force. _We knew this would happen. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though._ He glanced up at Oikawa, who was on the phone with someone in forensics as he went over several spreadsheets on his laptop. _We’ll figure this out, and prove them all wrong. I won’t stand for this shit._  
  
 _We’ll close this case -- for you, and for everyone else that’s in danger._

* * *

Shirabu sipped carefully at the hot coffee in his hands as he leaned over to peer at Ushijima’s laptop.  
  
They were sitting on a soft, comfortable black couch inside the captain’s apartment to go over the data that Semi had just emailed them. Shirabu dutifully pretended not to notice when their knees gently knocked against each other, but he couldn’t help the small thrill he felt at the brief contact.  
  
“Semi found a lot when he hacked into Seijou’s systems,” Ushijima muttered quietly as he began to click through the folders. “Including photos of the recent crime scenes.”  
  
Shirabu’s eyes were sharp as he looked at an image of the battered Shiratorizawa patch, and then Oikawa’s name hastily scrawled in blood beneath Watari’s hand. “Someone is playing both police departments.”  
  
“Yeah,” Ushijima agreed. “It looks like they might be trying to pit us against each other, with falsified evidence that make both of us look guilty in different instances.” He squinted a little, and zoomed in on the photo of the Shiratorizawa patch. “In Oikawa’s case, I think it might work.”  
  
“What, trying to make him think we did it?” Shirabu asked curiously.  
  
“Yes. He already hates our department, and me, to an almost irrational degree,” Ushijima replied calmly. “He’s a brilliant detective, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he fell for something as obvious as this.”  
  
 _Ouch_ , Shirabu thought to himself. _Well, he’s not wrong, though..._ “Do you think it’s someone within Seijou that’s responsible?”  
  
Ushijima was quiet for a long moment as he thought about his answer. “Probably. But it’s hard to say for certain yet until we get more evidence.” He looked a little on edge as he continued scrolling through the photographs. “The unfortunate truth, however, is that getting more evidence would almost certainly come from another attack happening first.”  
  
Shirabu fell silent at the implication. _Someone could get hurt. Someone could die... from either side of the conflict._ His gaze fell from the laptop screen to the hand he had resting on his knee; a whisper of anxiety coiled in his stomach, and he tried to push the feeling away. “Are there... any precautions we should take?” he asked hesitantly. “I mean, we should keep investigating, right, instead of waiting for someone to get attacked again? But...” He stopped, and bit at his lip to keep the fearful words at bay.  
  
But Ushijima seemed to sense it, and looked over to meet his eyes. “You’re afraid, aren’t you?” he asked bluntly.  
  
Guilt and shame warred on Shirabu’s face in equal measure. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I just--”  
  
“No apology is necessary,” Ushijima interrupted. “It makes sense to be scared. This case is extremely dangerous, one of the worst you and I, and Seijou, have ever had to deal with.” He looked back at the laptop for a moment, and then put it to the side before he met Shirabu’s eyes once more. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Kenjirou. Your safety is guaranteed, because you’re partners with me. If we stick together like we have been, you’ll be fine.”  
  
Despite the anxiety simmering in his mind, Shirabu couldn’t help but smile. “That does make me feel better. I... feel safe with you. But what about you, Ush... um... Wakatoshi?”  
  
Ushijima tilted his head to the side, confused. “What do you mean? I have you to look out for me, don’t I? So I have nothing to worry about.”  
  
He’d said it like it was a simple fact, an obvious truth, and it made Shirabu’s heart beat just a little bit faster. “You trust me that much?” he blurted. “For something so important?”  
  
“Of course I do,” Ushijima said easily. “I trust you more than anyone. If I didn’t, you wouldn’t be my partner.” A rare, soft smile curved at the edges of his mouth, and Shirabu felt his heart melt a little. “You should give yourself more credit.”  
  
“I... I guess so,” he stammered a little. “Thank you.”  
  
“Think nothing of it,” Ushijima replied. As he said it, a small black and white cat peered around the table, and suddenly pounced on Shirabu before quickly settling into his lap with a content purr. “Oh, hello, Socks. I see you missed Kenjirou.”  
  
Socks purred more in response, and closed her eyes as she got comfortable for a nap. With a warm smile, Shirabu gently scratched her between the ears. “You’re much more gentle than people realize, Wakatoshi.”  
  
“Hmm? I guess so. The people that know are the ones that matter.”  
  
“Like who?” Shirabu asked curiously.  
  
Ushijima drank from his nearby mug of coffee for a moment before placing it back down on the table in front of them. “You, Socks, and the cat outside the cafe we’ve been visiting, I guess. And the animals at the shelter I donate to.”  
  
Shirabu’s smile grew warmer. “I see. Well, let’s continue working, shall we?”

* * *

Oikawa was the first one to wake.  
  
A quick glance at the clock nearby told him there was still a full twenty minutes before the alarm went off. Blearily, he rubbed at his eyes and snuggled up closer to his partner.  
  
 _We’re not even trying to be subtle anymore,_ he thought wryly as he admired Iwaizumi’s face in the dim pre-morning light. Their legs were tangled together, and Iwaizumi had an arm thrown haphazardly across Oikawa’s waist, with his face gently pillowed against Oikawa’s chest.  
  
He smiled to himself as he felt the vice captain’s breathing steadily tickle the skin over his collarbones in a slow, even rhythm. _Once this case is over, it’s time for us to move forward._ Gently, he reached a hand out to trace the line of Iwaizumi’s jaw, and smiled as the other man wrinkled his nose in his sleep.  
  
 _I love you, Hajime. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we get our happily ever after._

* * *

Oikawa was visibly startled by his cellphone vibrating in the front pocket of his blazer.  
  
Iwaizumi glanced at him for a moment before turning back to his laptop. _He’s wound so tight,_ he thought grimly. He kept the thought to himself as Oikawa leaned back in his chair, outwardly cavalier as he answered the call -- at this point, Iwaizumi thought the act wasn’t just for the benefit of everyone else in the office, but was becoming an armor for Oikawa himself as well.  
  
“Hello, Vice Chief-san! It’s so good to hear your voice again,” Oikawa said cheerfully. “Are you still in the hospital?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Mizoguchi replied over the phone, clearly grumpy and a little sluggish from painkillers. “Listen, I just got a call about suspicious activity near the southern ward. I want you and Iwaizumi to go check it out right away.”  
  
“Still directing, even from the hospital! How admirable,” Oikawa said with a smile. “Never fear, we’re on the case!” He hung up, and spun in his chair to face his partner. “Looks like we better get moving--”  
  
He was interrupted by the sound of Iwaizumi’s phone ringing. He glanced at the caller ID, clearly irritated -- but then his expression suddenly changed, and he answered the call immediately. “Mom? It’s not like you to call me during the day. Is everything all right?”  
  
Oikawa felt cold as Iwaizumi’s eyes darkened. “Hello? Mom?” the vice captain asked again. “Is everything okay?”  
  
Silence, still, and then:  
  
“Hajime.” The word was heavy with static, gray and red, barely even recognizable as his mother’s voice. “I -- ..house... -- please, ri... as soon as.. -- now!”  
  
The call dropped, and Iwaizumi frowned deeply at his phone. “...I don’t like this,” he said quietly.  
  
“Something wrong with your mom?” Oikawa asked, his voice serious. “Do you need to go see her?”  
  
“I think so,” Iwaizumi said, his expression conflicted. “Will you be okay without me for a few minutes? It shouldn’t take too long, I just wanna make sure she’s--”  
  
Oikawa waved at him cavalierly, a huge, forced smile on his face. “Have no fear, Iwa-chan! I’ll have Yahaba-chan and our little Mad Dog-chan accompany me, and you can meet up with us after you see your mom, okay? I’ll text you the location. Just be careful!” He turned away quickly, but the motion didn’t hide the yellow-orange cloud of fearful stress in his demeanor. “Do you want someone to accompany you? I’d go, but--”  
  
His own voice was a similar color as he nodded and said, “Don’t worry about me. Mizoguchi needs you somewhere else. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  
  
He adjusted his bulletproof vest, grabbed his keys, and left without another word.

* * *

 _She sounded stressed. But from what I could piece together, she wanted me to come see her at the house..._ He tried to call her a couple more times over his headset as he drove, but he didn’t receive an answer. _Talk about bad timing. Maybe she fell or something,_ he thought anxiously. _Sure hope not..._   
  
Fifteen minutes later, he finally reached the house his mother lived in by herself -- and noticed her car wasn’t there.  
  
 _What the hell?_   he thought suspiciously as he parked and got out of his own vehicle. _Maybe she’s getting work done on it...?_ He felt uneasy as he walked up the path to the small house’s front door; he took out his keys, and quickly unlocked it and went inside.  
  
“I’m here!” he called as he shut the door behind him. “Mom?” He didn’t bother taking off his shoes; he figured the urgency in the phone call he’d received would excuse him. But no answer came from the silent house, and he felt his anxiety grow.  
  
“Mom, where are you?” He moved through the entryway and into the living room; the television was quietly playing infomercials, the only sound in the otherwise silent house. His steps grew faster with worry as he moved to the kitchen. “Mom, I’m here!”  
  
Still no answer. He moved past the kitchen, and walked down the hallway towards her room. “Hello?” He rounded a corner, but there was still no sign of anyone in the house. “Mom, where are you?”  
  
He opened the door to her room, and peeked inside -- but there was nobody there. Worry grew as he pulled his phone out to check it again -- no new messages. _Maybe I could try calling her again?_  
  
But just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard a tiny green noise behind him, the slightest hint of shuffling feet. He turned to see what it was --  
  
And suddenly felt a blinding, burning pain against his head, right before he lost consciousness completely.

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 6_

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone <3 Thanks for your patience. I'm recovering well, and getting the rest of my stitches out two days from now, so hopefully I should be able to resume a mostly normal update schedule soon!
> 
> I also decided to combine chapter 7 and 8, which is why the chapter count has decreased from 10 to 9. It'll still be the same length, and nothing is being cut; I've just added the events of the two chapters together.

Oikawa was visibly restless as he looked over the area with Yahaba and Kyotani.  
  
“There’s nothing here,” he said quietly, “and I still haven’t heard back from Iwa-chan.” He looked at his phone and sent yet another text, clearly impatient. “He usually answers me by now! What’s the holdup?”  
  
Yahaba seemed uneasy. “Why don’t you go meet up with him, Oikawa-san? He said he was going to his mother’s house, and you know where it is, right? Kyotani and I should be able to take it from here.”  
  
“Hmm, good idea! I’m sure Mizoguchi-san will understand.” He nodded at the two partners with a tight smile. “Well, I’ll be counting on you, then.”  
  
Yahaba’s smile was weak and edged with apprehension. “Please be careful, and let us know when you get in contact with him, Oikawa-san.”  
  
Oikawa gave him a lazy salute as he turned away, but despite his best effort, he couldn’t completely mask the fear and anxiety growing in his heart.

* * *

Pain.  
  
The first thing Iwaizumi noticed as he slowly woke up was that his head hurt very, very badly. _Shit... I must have a hell of a concussion..._ He tried to move, but a wave of dizziness overcame him, so powerful that he felt his stomach lurch with nausea. Slowly, he blinked, and realized that his hands were tied, splayed out almost like a crucifix; he was pressed against a cold, damp wall, and intensely uncomfortable.  
  
His vision blurred as he tried to get his bearings, and he groaned weakly. A faint spark of green lit in the corner of his eyes, the same shuffle he’d heard before he went unconscious -- and as his vision focused, he noticed a man watching him from the shadows.  
  
“So you’re awake now, huh? What a pity for you,” the masculine voice laughed. Iwaizumi couldn’t quite make out his features; it was too dark, and his vision was still wavering a little, but he recognized the voice all too well. “You’ll wish you hadn’t woken up at all, by the time I’m done with you.”  
  
“What the... what the _fuck_ ,” Iwaizumi panted harshly. “What are you--”  
  
“What would you do,” the man interrupted, his voice a satisfied bloom of fuschia and deep greens, “if I told you that I killed Oikawa?”  
  
“I’d call you a fucking liar,” Iwaizumi replied immediately. Red clouded his vision as he spoke. “Like hell you did, I saw him just--”  
  
“Just a few minutes ago?” he asked before laughing, obviously pleased with himself. “You don’t even know how long you’ve been unconscious. Maybe it’s been two hours. Maybe it’s been two days.”  
  
Iwaizumi felt ill. _Shit. Shit, he’s right, I have no idea--_ “Why are you doing this?” he seethed. “What’s your goal?”  
  
He thought the man in front of him shrugged, but with his vision as unsteady as it was, he couldn’t be sure. “Why bother telling a dead man anything?”  
  
“What, you’re gonna kill me?” Iwaizumi tried to sound tough as he said it, but the words carried a faint hint of fear despite his belligerence.  
  
Through a haze of pain, he could see a smile in the shadows on his captor’s face. “Well, it’d certainly make my life easier if you were gone. But I still have a use for you, so I’ll keep you around for a little while longer... you’re not gonna enjoy it, though,” he laughed. “Feel free to pass out again. I’m not bringing you anything to eat or drink, since you’ll be dead soon anyway.”  
  
Iwaizumi watched him leave through a door on the opposite side of the room, and he was left alone again in the darkness, with nothing but his dread and pain to keep him company.

* * *

Oikawa felt his uneasiness grow as he looked around the empty house of Iwaizumi’s mother.  
  
 _Where is he?_   he thought, trying to ignore the desperation growing in the pit of his stomach. Every room in the house was empty and quiet; he had been scouring every inch of it for clues, some hint, hoping that he was wrong and that Iwaizumi was just being weirdly unresponsive because he was unusually busy. But there was nothing to be found, which was both reassuring and frightening. He felt himself tense as the sound of the front door opening reached his ears.  
  
“I’m home!” A mixture of relief and terrified guilt churned in his gut as the voice of Iwaizumi’s mother drifted through the hallways. “Hajime, are you here? I just got your messages...”  
  
He managed to find his voice around the lump in his throat, and carefully slipped on a well-worn facade with a smile as he stepped out to greet her. “Hello, Iwaizumi-san! Sorry for the intrusion, but I stopped by to see if Hajime was here, too.”  
  
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she tucked a strand of graying hair behind her ear as she set several grocery bags down on the kitchen table. “Tooru-chan? Oh, is something wrong? He’s usually with you, after all...”  
  
Oikawa’s smile didn’t fade, and he sincerely hoped that she couldn’t see through it. “I don’t think anything’s wrong! But he said he got a phone call from you earlier, so he rushed over, and I thought I’d join him, but he’s not here.”  
  
“He left a bunch of messages saying he got my call and was waiting, but... I never called him,” she said, clearly a little worried and confused. “But I haven’t heard back from him... I was driving back from my weekly shopping, so I couldn’t reply.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile grew wider, and didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Don’t worry, Iwaizumi-san. He probably just left for lunch! He didn’t eat earlier today, since we’re working on a big case. I’ll go find him -- he’s probably just at the office now.” He leaned forward to wrap her in a sudden, but gentle hug, and then gave her a playful salute. “Don’t worry, ‘kay? I’d hate to put sadness on your gorgeous face!”  
  
Warmth bloomed on her face as she smiled back at him, and waved. “Well, okay, Tooru-chan. Call me sometime soon, when you’re not busy. I’d love for us all to have dinner together; it’s been a while. Please have Hajime call me later, too.”  
  
“You bet!” He waved back as he skipped out of the house, and gently shut the front door.  
  
As soon as it closed behind him, he sighed, and rubbed at his eyes as he made his way back to the car he’d borrowed from Yahaba. _Our car is nowhere in sight. I’ll just go back to the office, and track the GPS inside of it..._ He got into the driver’s side and shut the door, buckled his seatbelt, and had just started the engine -- when suddenly, his phone rang. A glance at the caller ID caused a surge of anxiety to lance through his heart. **_Unknown Number._** With slightly shaking hands, he flipped it open, and answered with a confidence he didn’t feel at all. “Oikawa Tooru, Captain of Aobajousai Special Investigations! How can I help you today?”  
  
A crackle of static met his ear, and then three words, clearly put through a filter to deepen and distort the speaker’s voice --   
  
_“I have him.”_  
  
Oikawa’s blood ran cold, but his voice was eerily calm as he replied. “What are you going to do with him?”  
  
Another burst of static crackled through the receiver. _“Simple. He’s the bait. You’re the prey. Find him, and you’ll find me.”_  
  
The line went dead, and in a burst of frustrated rage, Oikawa threw his phone on the floor of the car with a scream. He hit the steering wheel with clenched fists and gritted teeth, and let his eyes fall shut as a terrified sob ripped itself from his throat. His breathing was heavy and ragged as he tried to collect himself and calm his thoughts.  
  
 _Panic won’t bring him back. I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing._ He sat up straight and wiped his eyes before he clutched the steering wheel, let out a deep breath, and began to drive. _I’ll save him -- and end this, once and for all._

* * *

_It’s gotta be Ushiwaka. Who else hates our department this much?_  
  
Oikawa grit his teeth as he looked at his phone. He’d tracked the GPS installed in the car he shared with Iwaizumi, and he was driving to the location, still in Yahaba’s vehicle.  
  
 _I need to tell the rest of Special Investigations what happened,_ he thought. The idea of it made him sick. _Later... I’ll call them after I find out where our car is. I need to do this. They have their own work to handle right now, anyway._ He tried not to think about his own selfish reasoning for going alone -- he didn’t want them to see him like this, on the very brink of falling apart.  
  
The streets were quieting down as he drove, and the light of dusk was fading into the onset of evening as his mind went over all the reasons Ushijima might have a motive, all the way back to when they were still in the Academy together. He’d been the definition of the kind of man Oikawa, and by extension, the rest of Seijou Special Investigations didn’t really like -- a genius, a prodigy that excelled with seemingly no effort at all.  
  
And he had an arrogant attitude to go along with it.  
  
 _He uses people like tools, and he always has,_ Oikawa thought darkly as he parked his car in a mostly empty lot. _He knows he’s a genius, and so smug and arrogant about it... the opposite of everything I am._ He felt his blood boil with rage and anxiety as he undid his seatbelt, disquieted by the weight of the revolver hidden in his blazer. _I’m here to build the strengths of my people. And he’s just there to use his, like they’re just expendable things. Disgusting._  
  
His footsteps echoed quietly on the concrete as he glanced around the parking lot. _Where is--_  
  
And then he spotted the vehicle, alone and abandoned.  
  
He drew his revolver, hands cold and clammy with sweat as he carefully snuck up to the car. Almost immediately, his eyes caught sight of a small slip of paper stuck to the inside of the windshield -- a note. Quickly, he grabbed his keys from his pocket, unlocked the door, and grabbed it while doing his best to ignore the slight tremor in his fingers.  
  
He unfolded it, and felt his stomach curdle with fear.  
  
 ** _“I don’t like to leave evidence behind. I suggest you start running, Detective.”_**  
  
A soft, almost inaudible ticking sound reached his ears. Without hesitation, he turned and started to run --  
  
Just as the car exploded behind him.  
  
A huge fireball erupted into the sky, and brightened the area in a pyre of flame. Bits of metal flew past Oikawa’s ear as he fell to the ground, and slammed his fist into the concrete as a desperate, enraged sob tore itself from his throat.  
  
Behind him, the remains of the car continued to burn as he tried to catch his breath before dialing Kunimi’s number, as tears fell from his soot-covered face onto his shaking hands.

* * *

“Since Oikawa’s partner is missing, he’s probably investigating with almost no backup now,” Ushijima mused as he absentmindedly scratched Socks behind the ears. The cat purred in his lap as the captain continued scrolling through the email from Semi on his phone. “And knowing him, he probably won’t take breaks without the vice captain there to hold him back.”  
  
Shirabu watched him carefully with his own phone open in his hands. “...What about the explosion?” he asked. “It was valuable evidence, right?”  
  
“We can’t know that for sure. But once we figure out where the vice captain is being held -- probably wherever the culprit has been hiding -- I can lead all of us in a single, swift strike to confront them,” he said, his voice empty of doubt. “I’m going to have Semi continue to compile data and search for whatever we’re looking for -- likely an empty warehouse or other abandoned building, and start making plans on how to position everyone else.”  
  
A frown marred Shirabu’s features. “Will we have a backup squad?” he asked, already certain he knew the answer. “Just in case something unexpected happens--”  
  
“That won’t be necessary,” Ushijima replied calmly. He continued reading through his email, and didn’t even bother to meet Shirabu’s gaze -- so he completely missed the storm brewing in his partner’s eyes. “I’ve never needed an alternate plan before, so a backup crew would just take resources away from what I already know will work.”  
  
“But--”  
  
“You trust me, don’t you? It’ll be fine,” he said calmly. “Hmm, I think I should have Goshiki go get reinforced bulletproof vests for everyone...”  
  
“It’s not about whether I trust you or not,” Shirabu stressed. “Of _course_ I trust you, I--” _I **love** you,_ he wanted to say, just barely holding the words inside, “I just... think this is a little too important to be--”  
  
“Arrogant?” Ushijima asked, a little coldly. He finally looked up, his dark eyes meeting Shirabu’s head on. “You wouldn’t be the first to think I am. But any arrogance I have is well earned. I have dedicated my entire life to this role, because it’s all I’m worth. And I’ll make it count, like I always do.” He looked away again before Shirabu could retort, a clear end to the conversation.  
  
Frustration darkened the vice captain’s face, and he quietly opened a new message on his phone. For a moment, he stared at the screen thoughtfully before he finally began to type out a text.  
  
 _> Goshiki-kun, I need to talk to you. But you have to keep this between the two of us._  
  
He thought it would take the younger detective at least a few minutes to reply, but his screen lit up almost instantly.  
  
 _> Yes, Shirabu-san! Anything at all!! You can count on me!!!_  
  
A fond smile curved at the corner of his lips as his fingers flew across the keys on his phone.  
  
 _> It’s about the Seijou corruption case... and our plan of action. I know you’ve been itching to prove yourself for a while now, but you never get the chance in big operations like this one._  
 _> We’re going to be making our move soon. Ushijima-san is likely going to lead Special Investigations as a full squad against whatever location we find, as usual._  
 _> But I have something else in mind for you and Tendou._  
  
Anxiousness wove through every nerve in his body as he waited for a response.  
  
 _> Okay! I understand, Shirabu-san. Please tell me your plan!_  
  
 _>...All right. Remember, it’s vital you keep this between us, and Tendou, of course. It absolutely cannot get back to Ushijima._  
 _> When the final showdown begins, and Ushijima enters whatever complex we find ourselves in, I want you and Tendou to hang back instead of following the rest of Special Investigations inside._  
 _> I know it seems counterproductive. But especially with the explosion of Oikawa Tooru’s vehicle, I don’t think it’ll be as cut-and-dry as Ushijima does._  
 _> Undermining him may be the key -- not only to you finally getting some credit, but to saving our lives if something goes wrong._  
 _> I want you and Tendou to be a surprise backup squad. What do you say? Can you shoulder that burden?_  
  
He glanced up at Ushijima, who was still totally absorbed in his email and petting Socks. He wasn’t paying Shirabu any attention at all, and while normally something like that would set him on edge, he was glad, just this once -- he didn’t want to arouse suspicion, after all.  
  
 _> Yes, Shirabu-san! That would be amazing!! I promise, you can count on us!!_  
  
His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.  
  
 _> Thank you. I’ll take the blame if anything goes wrong. Stay safe._  
  
As casually as he could, he closed his phone, put it in his pocket, and stood up to stretch. “I’m going to get a glass of water, if that’s okay,” he told Ushijima.  
  
The captain hummed, still paying him hardly any mind at all. As he walked to the kitchen, Shirabu tried to ignore the guilt festering in the back of his mind, to no avail.  
  
 _I’m doing this for all of us,_ he thought desperately. _I just hope I’m not making a huge mistake._

* * *

_Hajime would tell me to sleep,_ Oikawa told himself sternly as he looked forlornly at his bed.   
  
It had been a full twenty four hours since he’d rested, and he could feel the adrenaline starting to give way to fatigue. Reluctantly, he got under the covers and tried to get comfortable -- but it didn’t feel right anymore, with the other side of his bed cold and empty.  
  
His fingers brushed over the handle of his revolver, tucked snugly beneath his pillow, as he closed his eyes and tried to relax. It took nearly an hour, but finally, he fell asleep --  
  
Only to wake shortly after, screaming at the top of his lungs, a violent nightmare about Iwaizumi still fresh in his mind.  
  
His lungs heaved for air as he tried to calm down, sweat cold against his brow as he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. 4:35 am. He’d only been asleep for a little over two hours, but he knew, with the nightmare still vivid behind his eyes, that he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep anytime soon.  
  
He rubbed his eyes as he checked his phone to find three new messages from Mizoguchi.  
  
 _> Not much new info yet. Watari’s condition hasn’t changed. Going to have Irihata-san look into getting you a new car sometime tomorrow._  
_> Got forensics looking at that note you got from the car. Can't find much of anything. Seems the culprit was careful._  
 _> Lots of gossip around the station about you. People spreading rumors that you probably killed Iwaizumi. Ignore them. We’ll clear your name when we find him._  
  
Oikawa replied with a cheer he didn’t remotely feel as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.  
  
 _> Thank you, Vice Chief-san! Please make sure you’re resting, okay? You need your beauty sleep, and have to heal up well! （ゝ。∂）_  
  
He was reaching for his lamp to turn it on when his phone vibrated.  
  
 _> It’s not even 5 in the morning and you’re already sassing me? Jesus. I’d tell you to go back to bed, but I know you won’t listen, and I can’t sleep either._  
 _> Just be careful, please._  
  
A touch of fondness warmed the exhaustion on his face as he put the phone back down and got ready to take a shower. Even injured, even after the trauma they’d all gone through, they were all still working hard. And even without Iwaizumi there, Oikawa had to remind himself -- he wasn’t alone. He still had all of Seijou at his back -- and they were ready to tear down the sky itself to save their vice captain.

* * *

Kunimi looked grim as he came back into Matsukawa and Hanamaki’s hospital room.  
  
“Watari’s still in a coma, but he’s not dead, so that’s good at least,” he said, “but Iwaizumi-san’s still missing. And I’m pretty sure Oikawa hasn’t slept since yesterday.”  
  
“Damn,” Hanamaki whispered harshly. He sighed, and shifted in his bed as he typed at his laptop. “And it looks like Shiratorizawa is really breathing down our necks, too. I think Semi Eita’s been letting himself into our files.”  
  
Matsukawa looked troubled. “Is there anything you can do to stop him?”  
  
“Well, yes and no. I mean, he already got most of what he was probably looking for while I was sleeping earlier. I could try to beef up security, but I decided to let myself into Shiratorizawa’s system again, and...” He laughed a little uneasily. “Well, I really don’t think they’re organizing against us at this point. Based on the emails they’ve been swapping, it looks like they’re as surprised about everything happening as we are. I think they’re actually trying to _help_ us this time.”  
  
Kindaichi shifted from one foot to the other. “Are... are you sure, Hanamaki-san? They’re enemies of ours...”  
  
Hanamaki shook his head. “Grudges aside, they’re good guys... probably. Even if Ushiwaka really gets on my nerves... I think he’s an asshole, but I don’t think he’d be morally bankrupt enough to do stuff like this, you know?”  
  
Matsukawa nodded. “Yeah, I agree. But if they are trying to help us...”  
  
“Oikawa-san isn’t likely to want to work with him,” Kindaichi mused. “He still suspects them, right? Because of the patch at the scene of where you two were hurt...”  
  
“Yeah. I’m worried he’s beyond reason right now,” Matsukawa said quietly. “Iwaizumi is more important to him than anything else in the world. We all know that. And with him missing...” He sighed, and slumped back in his bed. “Hate being stuck here and feeling useless. I wanna go out and catch this guy.”  
  
Kunimi shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. Oikawa-san is strong. We can support him from here, and maybe we can convince him to work with Shiratorizawa instead of against them, just this once, if we can find something to sway his opinion.” He smiled a little wryly. “And maybe we could get him to take a nap, too.”  
  
“Don’t count on getting him to sleep,” Hanamaki said with a slightly forced laugh. “Until he’s got Iwaizumi back, I’m pretty sure the only way he’ll get rest is if he collapses from exhaustion.”  
  
Kunimi rubbed blearily at his eyes as he sat down and slumped in his chair. “Speaking of naps, I think I’m overdue for one.”  
  
“Here, you can use my shoulder,” Kindaichi offered. He sat down in the chair beside him and smiled as his partner wordlessly leaned against him and closed his eyes.   
  
Matsukawa shared a knowing look with Hanamaki, and they grinned at each other as Hanamaki continued to work. A moment later, the hacker paused as his cellphone vibrated with an incoming text -- from Matsukawa himself.  
  
 _> i’m glad i’m still here. and i’m glad you’re here with me too. love you._  
  
A genuine, warm smile spread over Hanamaki’s face as he replied.  
  
 _> love you too, issei. don’t think i’ve forgotten about that kiss._  
  
Hanamaki could hear his boyfriend chuckle quietly as he texted back a reply.  
  
 _> wouldn’t dream of it, darling._

* * *

The nights bled into daylight, and all too quickly, the light faded into darkness, a repeating cycle that led Oikawa almost nowhere at all.  
  
He swayed a little as he stalked down the side street -- it had been a day and a half since he’d gotten any sleep at all.  
  
 _No time to rest,_ he thought angrily as he waited in line for coffee. _Hajime needs me. And today’s the day I confront Ushiwaka._ He placed his order and waited restlessly as the barista made his latte, and thanked the man with a forced, plastic smile as he walked back outside and took a seat at a table outside the cafe.  
  
 _He’ll be here soon,_ he thought as his eyes watched his surroundings with no shortage of amped-up paranoia. _He’s been coming here every morning with his little boy toy of a vice captain the last couple weeks..._ Minutes turned into an hour, his latte long gone as his impatience grew.  
  
And then finally, he saw Ushijima walking down the street.  
  
He didn’t wait for the captain to get to the cafe; instead, he abruptly stood up, and stalked towards him with clenched fists. “Ushiwaka,” he said through a poisonous smile, “how nice to see you. I’ve been waiting.”  
  
Ushijima looked back at him, but something was off. His eyes seemed empty and unfocused. “...Oikawa? I’ve been looking for you--”  
  
Without warning, Oikawa launched forward and grabbed the Shiratorizawa captain by the collar, his fists bunching in the fabric as he turned his body and slammed the other man against a tall wooden fence. “Don’t screw with me, asshole. I’m tired of your mind games. Tell me where Hajime is before I kill you right here, right now.”  
  
Ushijima looked back at him blankly, seemingly unfazed. “...There are no mind games, Oikawa. I’m not the one responsible for Iwaizumi Hajime’s disappearance.” His gaze unsettled Oikawa, raw and vulnerable in a way the Seijou captain had never seen before. “I’m not here to fight you. I’m here because I need your help.”

Oikawa’s grip loosened, and he didn’t even try to hide the confusion on his face. “...Are you _kidding_ me? The great, _incredible_ Ushiwaka-chan, renowned throughout the lands for his _amazing genius_ , needs _my_ help?” He laughed, equal parts surprise and sarcasm. “What the hell _for_?”  
  
The emptiness in Ushijima’s eyes pierced Oikawa to the core, and in that gaze, the Seijou captain saw something familiar -- something he could relate to. Ushijima was silent for a moment as he struggled to find the words before he finally spoke, quiet and fearful --  
  
“Shirabu is missing.”

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 7_

 


	7. Chapter 7

Oikawa felt his blood run cold.  
  
“What do you mean _missing_?” he asked as his grip on Ushijima’s collar weakened. “He’s not--?”  
  
“He’s gone,” Ushijima confirmed quietly. “I asked him to go do a weekly file dropoff at a smaller station. He’s always the one that does it.” Guilt was heavy in his dark eyes. “He never came back. And then I got a phone call.”  
  
Oikawa looked at him in disbelief. “Are you -- are you screwing with me? Are you an idiot? You’re... okay, so if you’re not lying, why would you make such a stupid mistake--”  
  
Ushijima’s expression became icy. “Didn’t you do the same thing? Isn’t that why Iwaizumi is missing, too?” In one smooth motion, he grabbed Oikawa’s wrists, and wrenched his hands off of his collar. “Instead of fighting with me, why don’t you put that pride aside, and work with me to find our partners?”  
  
Oikawa narrowed his eyes and took a step back. “And why should I trust you, exactly? Don’t you have all of Shiratorizawa to do your _bidding_ , Your Majesty?”  
  
Ushijima crossed his arms, and sighed. “I do have a large force of people that I can work with. But our caseload is heavy right now, and I know you’re one of the best around, which is why I’ve wanted you to join Shiratorizawa since we were still in the Academy. Your department already has a huge stake in this, and your force is in tatters from these repeated attacks. It’s the most logical decision for both of us.”  
  
“Tch.” Oikawa put his hand on his hip, and watched him carefully. “...You’re right,” he agreed reluctantly, “as much as I hate admitting it. So fine. Let’s team up, just this once, and go our separate ways again once this case is closed.” He pointed a finger right in Ushijima’s face. “But let me warn you right now. If you lie to me, if you double cross me at all -- if you put Hajime in any danger -- I will kill you, without hesitation.”  
  
Ushijima didn’t even flinch. “There’s no need for you to waste time with threats. Let’s get to work.”  
  
The storm in Oikawa’s eyes didn’t subside at all. “Roger that, _Captain_.”

* * *

When he woke up again, it was to the sound of a bloodcurdling scream, red and black lanced with shocks of white agony as he opened his eyes.  
  
The cloud of color surged again as a man tied up beside him screamed again, and it made Iwaizumi’s skin crawl; his stomach roiled with shock and terror when he realized the person being attacked was none other than Shirabu. Their captor was standing there, phone open in his hand, as he slowly worked his knife into the Shiratorizawa vice captain’s shoulder.  
  
Another long, drawn-out scream clouded Iwaizumi’s vision, and the man pocketed his knife with a pleased laugh as he closed his phone. “Well, the message to Ushijima should be clear enough, so I’m sure he’s extra motivated. I’ll bandage you up for now... wouldn’t be good to have some of my bait dying on me, you know?” He got a breathless, strained whimper in response as he pressed a wad of gauze against the wounds on Shirabu’s shoulder. “Damn, you’re pretty tough. Keep that up, and I’m sure you’ll live long enough to see Ushijima one more time before it’s all over.”  
  
“Hey!” Iwaizumi growled. “Why do you have him here, too? You said he’s bait?” He narrowed his eyes, and tried to ignore the way his vision blurred. “So I bet Oikawa is still alive, too. I’d be the perfect bait for him. Otherwise, you’d have already killed me.”  
  
“Sharp as ever, _Iwa-chan_ ,” the man replied mockingly. “Yeah, yeah, Oikawa’s still alive. For now, anyway. Once I lure him and Ushijima here, I can get rid of all of you, frame your captains for this whole thing, and cover my tracks. Nobody will ever know what I did.”  
  
Without another word, he turned his full attention back to Shirabu, who was choking back quiet sobs as the man tied a makeshift bandage around his wounds. “Should stop you from bleeding out. Try not to die yet, all right? It’d be a shame if your captain couldn’t see that pretty face just one more time, wouldn’t it?”  
  
“Fuck you,” Shirabu gasped quietly.  
  
He got nothing but laughter in response. “Have fun, kids. I’ve got work to do.” Without another word, he turned and casually strolled out of the room, and the two detectives could hear the click of the door locking with a horrible sense of finality.  
  
Beside him, Shirabu sagged against the ropes holding him up by the wrists, and choked back a quiet, pained whimper, a bloom of rust and desaturated blue in Iwaizumi’s vision. “Hey,” Iwaizumi said quietly, his voice rough in his throat, “hey, are you okay? Stay with me. They’ll get us out of here.”  
  
But he received no response -- Shirabu had gone completely quiet. He squinted in the dark, terrified at the sudden silence, when he realized the other man was still breathing, but had fallen unconscious.  
  
 _Probably for the best,_ Iwaizumi thought sadly. _I’d rather be knocked out at this point, too._  
  
 _I wonder how Tooru’s doing..._

* * *

Ushijima looked at the phone vibrating in his hands with a sense of obvious dread.  
  
Oikawa watched him sharply as he flipped it open, to find a video from an unknown number. Immediately, he played it back -- only for all of the color to drain from his face at the sight of a battered, bloody Shirabu tied up to a damp wall.  
  
His hand clenched the phone so hard that his knuckles went pale with tension at the first scream, and he visibly flinched at the sight of the knife digging into his partner’s shoulder. His skin took on a slightly green tinge as Shirabu screamed yet again as he was stabbed a second time, and Oikawa couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.  
  
The video ended, followed with a text from the same unknown number:  
  
 _> The clock is ticking, Detective. I suggest you find me quickly._  
  
“Let’s trace the number,” Oikawa said immediately. “We might be able to track him down that way, unless it’s encrypted... it probably is, though.” He swayed a little on his feet, but looked thoughtful. “...Almost sounds like he _wants_ to be found, actually. But that works out for us, now, doesn’t it?”  
  
Ushijima looked at him with a critical eye. “...When’s the last time you got any sleep?”  
  
“None of your damn business,” he snapped. “There’s no time for that right now. That video is proof enough. Besides,” he added with a condescending smile, “something tells me those dark circles under your eyes aren’t your usual look.”  
  
Ushijima scowled at him, but turned away and began to walk. “Come on. My car’s parked in the next lot over. I’ll take you to the Shiratorizawa office, and show you everything we’ve managed to find so far.”  
  
“What exactly do you know?” Oikawa asked, some of his anger giving way to curiosity.  
  
“I’ll start briefing you in the car... it’s not safe in public,” he said simply. He clenched his fists, and the slight tremor in his fingers didn’t escape Oikawa’s notice. “But we have an idea of who might be responsible, and why they’ve been doing this.”

* * *

“Someone in Aobajousai has been pulling the strings for a while.”  
  
Oikawa watched him carefully. “...Oh, is that so? What makes you think that? What about the Shiratorizawa patch at the recent scene?”  
  
“Easy, obvious bait,” Ushijima replied without hesitation as he slowed to a stop at a red light. “Just like writing your name in blood under the body of that forensics specialist.”  
  
“What’s the point of doing that? Pitting us against each other?”  
  
Ushijima nodded. “I think so. And now that our target has both of our vice captains, I think their end goal has become more obvious. They’ll try to kill us all -- and frame us at the same time, while washing their hands of years of bloodletting.”  
  
“Like hell I’m gonna let that happen,” Oikawa seethed. He rubbed at his bloodshot eyes, and slumped in his seat. “You’ve got data?”  
  
Ushijima nodded as he continued driving. “Records and the like. Lined up all the deaths in Seijou’s district over the last five years and tried to put a pattern together. We managed to find something, even if it doesn’t seem like much.” A wry, humorless smile curved at his lips. “Whoever is behind this probably started it as a measure to exact vengeance... but kept going when they realized there was money to be made.”  
  
“And you said they’re probably a higher ranking official, which makes sense,” Oikawa mused as he stared listlessly out of the window.  
  
“Right. Someone with experience and the resources to pull off years of this without being caught. Whoever it is, they’re cunning, ruthless, and have a lot of power backing them. It’s almost a certainty.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile was devoid of light. “Well, let’s get to work and end a career.”

* * *

Oikawa wasn’t the only one pushing himself beyond his limits.  
  
It was two in the morning when Ushijima’s vision began to blur as he looked over more records. His mind was moving slowly, his body heavy with exhaustion, but his thoughts were still a tempest of overwhelming fear. Any time he thought about resting, there was the memory of Shirabu’s screams, the knife digging into his partner’s shoulder, to keep pushing him onward.  
  
“Why are you trying so hard?”  
  
He looked over to see Oikawa still staring at the screen of a borrowed laptop. “What do you have to gain from this?” he asked quietly. “Aside from saving that vice captain of yours, anyway. Couldn’t you just replace him?”  
  
“ _No_.” The word was heavy with venom and horror at the very idea, and that got Oikawa to look up at him and meet his eyes. “No,” he repeated, a little more calmly. “Kenjir--...Shirabu... is not expendable. He’s not some resource to be used and thrown away.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes bore into him like all his thoughts were as transparent as glass. “Ohh, _Ushiwaka-chan_. Was that a _first name_ that I heard?” He smirked, and propped his chin in his hand. “Yeah, not just a resource, for sure. He’s probably much _more_ than that, isn’t he?”  
  
“None of my unit is expendable,” he retorted, his voice just a little icy. “But... Shirabu is my partner. And it’s my fault... it’s my fault that he’s...” His eyes widened with blank panic, his breath just a little shaky. “I have to save him. It’s my job.”  
  
“Not just a job from the sounds of it,” Oikawa insisted. “Why so much loyalty?” he asked with a knowing, condescending smirk. “Why so much _regret_?”  
  
Ushijima looked down at his hands. “Don’t try to antagonize me,” he said quietly. “...But to answer your question, you’re right. Of course you are. You can read people like open books, most of the time.” He looked up at the ceiling, and sighed. “I’ve left a lot unsaid with Shirabu. And he deserves... so much better... than what I’ve given him, and what he’s going through right now.”  
  
“Tch.” Oikawa looked back at his screen, visibly irritated. “It pisses me off that we have something like that in common.”  
  
Ushijima smiled at him. “We’re working towards a common goal, at least. But we need to rest, or we’re going to be useless once we find the culprit.”  
  
“How can you even _entertain_ the idea of sleeping when your partner is being _tortured_ somewhere?” Oikawa asked scathingly. “Can you actually sleep?”  
  
Ushijima narrowed his eyes. “Both of us are beyond exhausted. Neither of us can stand without almost falling down right now. The only reason I can ‘entertain’ the idea is because I know walking into the killer’s domain in this condition is practically suicide. And it’s not just our lives that are on the line.”  
  
Oikawa didn’t look pleased. “...Three hours, then.”  
  
“Six,” Ushijima replied, “and another hour and a half after that if you still can’t walk without wavering. That goes for both of us.”  
  
Oikawa didn’t even try to hide his scowl as he carefully stood up, mindful of the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him as he walked over to one of the three large couches in the office. “I’ll set an alarm, then.”  
  
“Very well.” Ushijima went to the couch closest to him, and pulled the blanket off of the back before he settled down and got comfortable. For a long moment, he stared at the wall in front of him before closing his eyes. He focused, as hard as he could, on the memory of Shirabu’s smiling face, on the warmth of his body beside his when they sat together in Ushijima’s apartment, on the way his eyes lit up whenever Ushijima called him Kenjirou.  
  
 _I’ll save you._ The thought was laden with determination and promise. _And then I’ll tell you everything I’ve been feeling -- everything I know you’ve been feeling too._  
  
Moments later, he was asleep, and Oikawa was the only one still awake in the dark, silent room.  
  
He cradled his phone to his chest, and pulled the blanket all the way up to his chin. Immediately, he felt his exhaustion almost completely overwhelm him as his eyes closed, lost to restless nightmares about Iwaizumi Hajime.

* * *

“Hey. Are... are you okay...?”  
  
Iwaizumi’s eyes flew open to the sound of soft blue-green in his eyes. Shirabu was awake and watching him with obvious concern.  
  
“You were crying in your sleep,” he explained weakly, “so I was worried...”  
  
“I think you should be more worried about yourself,” Iwaizumi replied with a shaky laugh. “I’m not the one with a hole gouged into my shoulder, after all. But thanks.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and tried to steady his breathing. “Almost funny we both ended up here. Wonder if that bastard is listening to us.”  
  
“Who cares if he is?” Shirabu said quietly. “Listening to us isn’t as bad as torture, at least.”  
  
Iwaizumi felt his stomach clench with guilt. “Sorry. I feel like it’s my fault... like we should’ve realized he was...”  
  
“It’s fine.” His voice was weak and strained with pain. “He’s smart, and crafty... and I’m guessing a pretty good actor... it’s not... your fault.”  
  
The blue-green of Shirabu’s voice was tinged with more white shocks again. “Hey... is the pain getting worse again?” Iwaizumi asked.  
  
Shirabu laughed sadly. “Yeah, it... it comes and goes.” He took a deep, steadying breath, and closed his eyes. “I just... have to endure it.”  
  
“You’ll make it,” Iwaizumi said, trying his best to sound reassuring. “We both will.”  
  
And at that moment, the door opened, and their captor walked in with a wicked smile that promised nothing but misery.

* * *

Oikawa’s blood ran cold when he saw his phone ringing, the caller ID displaying an all-too-familiar **_Unknown Number._**  
  
“Keep them on the line as long as you can,” Ushijima said hurriedly as he plugged a cable into Oikawa’s cell and began typing at his computer. “Semi, help me trace this call. Everyone, be as quiet as you possibly can.”  
  
Oikawa willed the trembling in his hands to subside as he flipped his phone open, and answered the video call waiting --  
  
\--and the first thing his saw was Iwaizumi.  
  
He was pale and haggard, with a huge streak of dried blood over his face. For a moment, the camera shook as their target walked closer, and Oikawa could see a flash of Shirabu tied up beside Iwaizumi. A moment later, the unmistakable gleam of a long knife came into view --  
  
And Iwaizumi screamed, loud and broken, as it was plunged deep into his arm.  
  
“Work a little more quickly, Detective Oikawa.” The voice was smug as it laughed, distorted and hard to recognize. “Or don’t you care that your partner’s having a bad day over here?”  
  
Nausea and horror nearly overwhelmed him, but Oikawa found the strength to speak despite that, in a desperate attempt to stall like Ushijima had asked. “You know, it’s not like we aren’t _trying_. Why don’t you just tell us where you are, if you want to be found so badly?”  
  
“Well, that’s not as much fun. Gives me less time to do something like _this_ \--” Slowly, he dug the knife deep into the wound he’d already made, and savagely twisted the blade. A bloodcurdling scream tore itself from Iwaizumi’s throat, a stark contrast to the cold, cruel laughter of the man torturing him.  
  
“Stop,” Oikawa begged. “Please, I’ll -- I’ll do anything.”  
  
“Oh, is that so? Wow, I never thought I’d hear the great Oikawa Tooru casting his pride aside and begging like a worthless dog.” Iwaizumi swallowed thickly, and bit back a whimper as the man trailed the knife over his cheek without actually cutting him. “But, you know what I want to you to do?”  
  
“...What?” Oikawa asked quietly.  
  
The blade of the knife glimmered once more as he applied pressure, and left a sharp cut along Iwaizumi’s jaw. “I want you to _find me_.”  
  
The call dropped, and Oikawa tried not to throw up as he glanced at Semi and Ushijima.  
  
“Got it,” Semi said. “I’m pulling up the coordinates now... hm.” He stuck his tongue out a little as he continued typing. “Looks like... an abandoned factory on the eastern side of the ward. Big empty lots, lots of other empty buildings nearby -- see?”  
  
He turned his laptop around to show Ushijima and Oikawa; several images were pulled up of a building overgrown with vines, with no cars or people in sight. “It’s about a twenty minute drive from here. If we start mobilizing now, we can probably be ready to start the operation in the next hour.”  
  
Ushijima nodded. “Good. Everyone, suit up. Semi, you’ll be in charge of the tech surveillance. Kawanishi, I want you to organize at least twenty police officers as backup. Everyone else, you know the usual procedure. Stick to the routine.” He stood, and nodded at Oikawa. “Come on. No time to waste.”  
  
Goshiki and Tendou glanced at each other quickly as everyone began to move. Semi passed around an earpiece to each detective in the room, and sixty seconds later, they were all walking out the door.

* * *

“You three squads, go in through the alternate side entrances,” Ushijima instructed. “Oikawa and I will split up as the lead decoys.” A large group of officers stood behind the Shiratorizawa detectives, and several ambulances were waiting beyond them on standby with paramedics. “We’ll take the front entrance and go from there. Check the blueprints of the building on your phones if you need to. Take as few risks as possible, and be wary of traps.”  
  
“Roger,” Semi agreed. “Good luck, Captain.”  
  
Ushijima nodded, and beckoned for Oikawa to follow him. The two made their way to the front doors, and checked their weapons and earpieces one last time.  
  
“Ready?” Oikawa asked, his voice tight with stress.  
  
“Absolutely.” Carefully, Ushijima opened the door, and slipped inside with Oikawa close behind.  
  
The welcoming room was large and open, with a thick layer of dust over what little was still there. Sunlight streamed in from a broken, dirty window, high up near the ceiling that rose far above their heads. In the back of the room was another set of doors, on opposite sides of the wall.  
  
“You take the left one, and I’ll take the right,” Oikawa said quietly.  
  
“Sounds good,” Ushijima agreed. “Be careful.”  
  
With his heart pounding furiously in his chest, Oikawa slowly opened the door and slipped inside, to find himself in a long, empty hallway. _Can’t remember the last time I did something like this by myself,_ he thought unhappily. _But I’ll do whatever it takes..._

* * *

“Oh, looks like we’ve got guests. _Finally_ ,” the man laughed coldly. “All right, Iwaizumi, I guess I’ll leave you alone for now. Pity about your cuts -- looks like they hurt pretty bad, huh?” He pulled a gun from his blazer, and turned the safety off as he walked away. “Don’t worry, though. I promise I’ll put you both out of your misery after I finish off your captains.”  
  
Iwaizumi bit his lip so hard that he nearly broke the skin as the door clicked shut behind their captor, leaving him and Shirabu alone once more. “Fuck!” he swore quietly. “I’m so useless here, I just -- I wish I could do _something,_ anything at all!”  
  
“I...” Shirabu’s voice was still weak, streaked with agonized white. “I might be able to... do something, since he’s distracted... let me just...”  
  
Iwaizumi looked over, and smiled for the first time in a while. “...A lockpick hidden in your mouth, huh?”  
  
Shirabu smiled, but it was fleeting. “Yeah. I hid it under my tongue before I got caught, since I had a bad feeling...”  
  
“But how are you going to get a hand free from the chains?” Iwaizumi asked. “Both of your hands are tied, and you can’t reach with just your mouth...”  
  
“I’ve got small hands and wrists,” Shirabu smiled. There was fear and apprehension in his eyes. “Well... here I go.” He took a deep breath--  
  
And savagely pulled his right arm against the shackle that had him bolted to the wall.  
  
Iwaizumi saw the unmistakable sound of breaking bone, dark and vivid red mixed with white as Shirabu bit back a muffled sob and pulled once again. The Shiratorizawa vice captain whimpered, but continued pulling at his wrist until his hand slipped through the shackle, misshapen and already starting to turn purple.  
  
“Holy shit,” Iwaizumi whispered.  
  
Shirabu held back his tears as he reached up to his mouth, and carefully took the lockpick away from his lips with his swelling fingers. Sweat beaded on his face as he concentrated as fiercely as he could while he slowly worked the lockpick against the other shackle on his left hand.  
  
A moment later, it fell free, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he bent down and worked the shackles at his ankles free as well. He shrugged the chains off, and wasted no time in walking over to Iwaizumi and starting to pick his open as well.  
  
“You’re a hell of a guy,” Iwaizumi said, voice rough with a mixture of pain and genuine awe.  
  
“Just doing my job,” Shirabu replied weakly. “Let’s see if we can’t find our way out once you’re free...”

* * *

Ushijima’s phone began to ring.  
  
He felt a chill as he stopped in the empty room, gun firmly grasped in his other hand as he flipped it open. “...Yes?”  
  
 _“Tell your other officers to pull back. This is between me, you, and Detective Oikawa.”_  
  
“No,” Ushijima replied simply.  
  
A cold laugh, rough with static, came through the speaker on his phone. _“It’s not up for negotiation, Ushijima. There are automatic locks on every door in this place, and a bomb planted somewhere in the facility. Either you listen to me and tell them to get the hell out, or I lock you all in here and blow every one of you sky high.”_  
  
The line went dead, and with no hesitation, Ushijima pocketed his phone and tapped at the headset on his ear to relay what he’d just heard.  
  
“I need every single one of you except Detective Oikawa to leave immediately,” Ushijima insisted. “Right now. I don’t care what you’re doing. Turn back. There’s a bomb in the facility somewhere.”  
  
“...Are you sure, Ushijima-san? Should we call backup...?”  
  
“Yes. But stay outside until either myself or Oikawa tell you otherwise. There’s no sense in risking every single one of you.”  
  
He sighed as he continued forward, and opened another door -- to find a staircase leading down to the basement.  
  
 _Bingo._

* * *

The memory of Iwaizumi’s screams was still vivid and horrible in Oikawa’s mind as he carefully made his way through another hallway, his revolver clutched firmly in his clammy hands.  
  
 _This is my fault. But I’ll make things right, Hajime..._  
  
Carefully, he paused before another door, and tried to listen. Nothing but silence greeted him, so he carefully opened the door, and found himself standing in a small, dusty room with two doors on the other wall. His shoulders were tight with tension as he took a step forward--  
  
And suddenly found a gun pointed in his face.  
  
“Well, this has been a long time coming. Sorry it had to come to this, Oikawa.”  
  
A sense of betrayal and fear coiled low in Oikawa’s gut, disbelief clear in his eyes.  
  
“Mizoguchi.”

* * *

At the bottom of the staircase, a small overhead light illuminated a large, dark room. A small side table was nearby -- with two bulletproof vests and revolvers stacked neatly beside each other.  
  
 _These must be Shirabu and Iwaizumi’s,_ Ushijima thought to himself. “Oikawa,” he whispered over the headset, “I’ve found their gear. I think they’re in the room beyond. Still no sign of the culprit, though. Be careful.”  
  
He got no response, but figured Oikawa was too busy being sneaky to reply, and continued forward to the slightly open door in the back of the room -- and came face to face with Shirabu and Iwaizumi, who were leaning heavily on one another and slowly walking forward.  
  
“...Wakatoshi?” Shirabu asked, a sudden brightness returning to his eyes. “You’re here. But what about Vice Chief Mizoguchi?”  
  
Realization dawned on Ushijima’s face. “Mizoguchi?”  
  
Iwaizumi shook his head. “Shit. Ushiwaka, you didn’t happen to see where he might’ve put our guns, did you?”  
  
“Yeah. They’re back here, come on.” He turned and ran over to the table. “Your vests are here, too.”  
  
“Good. We’ll probably need your help getting them on, though,” Iwaizumi wheezed. “Come on, no time to waste. Oikawa’s in danger.”

* * *

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Oikawa whispered.  
  
“Afraid not,” Mizoguchi said with a rueful smile. “I was just about done with all of this, you know? I’m supposed to retire next year, and that would’ve been the end of it. But Irihata-san just _had_ to go sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.”  
  
“But... but you were _shot_ ,” Oikawa said blankly. “You got hurt--”  
  
“Oh, when I shot Watari in the head? Tough little bastard, by the way. After I get out of here, I can slip some poison in his IV or something and blame it on one of your little bodyguards that you stationed at the hospital. Can’t have him tattling on me, you know? But yeah, I shot myself in the arm to throw off suspicion,” he grinned. “Hurt like hell. The others in my vest were from my encounter with Hanamaki and Matsukawa.”  
  
“But I trusted you,” Oikawa said. He tightened his grip on the revolver in his hands, and slowly raised it to point it at Mizoguchi’s face. “We all did.”  
  
“And whose fault is that?” he asked. “Put the gun down, Oikawa. You’ve never killed anyone. You don’t have what it takes.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes were wild with intensity and uncertainty. He tried to ignore the way his finger shook as it hovered over the trigger. “I’ll kill you in a heartbeat if I have to. But I don’t have to. We can just take you in, instead. The choice is yours.”  
  
“Come on, Oikawa. You think I’d do all this if I was willing to be caught?” Mizoguchi’s stare was intense. “Don’t you realize how many people I’ve killed over the last several years? There’s no point in me walking out of here alive if I end up in custody.” He walked forward, his gun pointing at the space right between Oikawa’s eyes. “ _Drop. Your. Weapon_.”  
  
“I don’t think so,” Oikawa seethed. “I’d rather kill you than get shot, that’s for _damn_ sure--”  
  
“And stain your spotless record?” Mizoguchi smirked. “Can you deal with that? Can you deal with the sidelong glances you’ll get for years to come if you kill the Vice Chief? You’ve never once killed anyone. Can you really start with me?”  
  
“I will if I have to,” Oikawa promised. “But I don’t _have_ to -- drop the gun. Let me take you in.”  
  
“No.” Mizoguchi’s hand tightened on the trigger. “This conversation is over, Oikawa. Sorry it’s come to this -- I didn’t really want to have to kill you, even if you have been a pain in my ass sometimes.”  
  
Oikawa inhaled sharply, and felt his finger steady over his own trigger --  
  
When Iwaizumi appeared in the doorway directly behind Mizoguchi, revolver in hand.  
  
Silent as as a shadow despite his injuries, he quickly snuck up behind the Vice Chief, and wrapped his arm around his throat with no warning at all. Mizoguchi gasped in shock, and without speaking, Iwaizumi pressed the barrel of his weapon against the other man’s temple --  
  
And fired a bullet directly into his head.  
  
Blood and flecks of gore splattered over the floor and wall, and the light left Mizoguchi’s eyes almost immediately as his body crumpled lifelessly to the ground. Iwaizumi wavered unsteadily as Ushijima and Shirabu limped forward through the doorway behind them, and his revolver slipped from his hands.  
  
Oikawa ran forward and caught his partner in his arms just as his legs gave out, and Iwaizumi smiled at him weakly.   
  
“Hey, Tooru. Did you miss me?”

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 8_

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello :) This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but the finale will be the longest chapter in the story, and should be up on August 8th. Thank you so much for all your support <3

The relief was short lived.  
  
 _“Ushijima-san.”_   Semi’s voice was tight with stress over the headset. _“The doors have already been electronically locked.”_  
  
Carefully, Ushijima made sure he was supporting Shirabu well enough with one arm when he put his hand to his ear to activate the microphone. “That’s not too much of a problem, since the bomb hasn’t been activated. Though I’d prefer for Shirabu and Iwaizumi to receive medical attention immediately, they’re not in immediate danger. We can wait a bit.”  
  
 _“Well, that’s the thing,”_ Semi replied, _“it **has** been activated. Tsutomu and Satori found it -- it’s actually just outside the entrance, and not in the building at all. You have about three minutes left until it detonates.”_  
  
All four of the officers in the room went pale. “Get us out of here by working remotely,” Ushijima ordered, “and evacuate the area immediately. How powerful is the bomb?”  
  
 _“Working on the first part already with a partner; we’re hacking the locks. The second... Sorry, but I guess I’ll have to disobey your orders for once. None of us are willing to leave until you’re safe.”_   Ushijima and Oikawa could both hear him typing as he continued to speak. _“Goshiki and Tendou ignited my rebellious streak, I guess.”_  
  
A small smile curved at the corners of Shirabu’s lips. “Goshiki and Tendou?” Ushijima asked, clearly bewildered.  
  
 _“Yeah. They never actually went in with everyone else. By the time all the squads evacuated, they had already located the bomb and were working on disarming it.”_  
  
Oikawa grinned as he helped Iwaizumi walk towards the entrance. “Peasants disobeying their ruler to save the day. How close are they to disarming it?”  
  
 _“Almost done!!”_   Goshiki yelled. _“Give us two more minutes!!”_  
  
 _“The bomb is powerful,”_   Semi explained, _“and the blast radius would likely damage an area several kilometers wide. Oh, but don’t worry -- the locks are almost done, too, and Tsutomu and Satori are probably fine. Damn, Hanamaki really knows his stuff.”_  
  
“...Hanamaki?” Oikawa asked.

 _“Yeah, he’s been helping remotely from the hospital. Hey, are you near the entrance yet?”_  
  
“Working on it,” Ushijima replied. “Come on, Shirabu... Just a little further. You’re almost done, and we’ve got paramedics waiting.” He didn’t even bother trying to hide his concern as he looked at his partner with worry written all over his face, their movements slow and careful with each and every step forward. “...What happened to your hand?”  
  
Shirabu answered him with a weak smile. “I... ugh, sorry -- I broke it. That’s how I got us loose... I had one of my lockpicks hidden in my mouth.”  
  
A mixture of guilt and profound respect flickered in Ushijima’s eyes. “I’m... I’m sorry. I wish I could’ve--”  
  
Shirabu cut him off with a grin, despite the obvious pain he was in. “No regrets. We all came together at just the right time to save each other’s lives. That’s all that matters.”  
  
“Not to rush things, but are your disobedient little knights done with that bomb yet?” Oikawa asked over the headset, clearly worried as he helped Iwaizumi lean against the door. “We won’t have time to evacuate the area, even if you get those locks off.”  
  
 _“There’s... oh.”_   Semi sighed in frustration. _“Tsutomu, you have 45 seconds left. Please tell me you’re nearly done.”_  
  
 _“You can’t rush perfection, Semi-san!!”_  
  
 _“I sure as hell can when the lives of almost 50 people are on the line. Hurry up, please? I don’t want my last moments to be in a cramped police car with a sweaty headset.”_  
  
Shirabu laughed a little weakly. “What’s going on? Iwaizumi and I can’t hear anything... Are we...?”  
  
“It’ll be fine,” Ushijima reassured him. “Goshiki and Tendou are almost done disarming the bomb.” He looked down at the floor in thought. “...I can’t believe they disobeyed a direct order. They’ve never done that before.”  
  
Shirabu looked a little sheepish and uneasy. “Um... that’s my fault. I told them to act independently before Mizoguchi grabbed me... Sorry.”  
  
Ushijima’s eyes widened, and Oikawa smirked. “Ooh, a rift in the kingdom, this time between the ruler and his lover. Such drama.”  
  
Immediately, Shirabu’s face went pink, and even Ushijima’s cheeks were a bit rosy. “Excuse me?” Shirabu asked.  
  
“Oikawa, please,” Ushijima muttered.  
  
 _“Holy shit, Tsutomu, are you almost done?”_   Semi asked nervously. _“Ten seconds.”_  
  
 _“I just have to snip the last wire, okay?!”_  
  
 _“Any day now,”_   Semi said dryly.   
  
_“Done!”_   Tendou cheered. _“I know, we’re great. You can thank us later, Ushijima-san.”_  
  
Before any of them could speak, the door let out a loud _click_. _“Locks are dismantled too,”_   Semi said. _“Come out into the daylight. Stretchers are waiting.”_  
  
He hadn’t even finished speaking when Ushijima pushed the handle down and shouldered it open. In one gasp of air, he picked Shirabu up into both of his arms, and made a beeline for the nearest ambulance. Right on cue, Iwaizumi sagged against Oikawa’s side, and the Seijou captain caught him just as his legs finally gave out.  
  
“I’ve got you, Hajime,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.” Carefully, he leaned down and positioned his arms, one under Iwaizumi’s knees and the other against his back -- and just like Ushijima, he rose to his feet with Iwaizumi held safely against his chest.  
  
“My hero,” Iwaizumi whispered with a wry smile.  
  
Oikawa smiled as his feet pounded against the pavement, and in that moment, he had never felt so alive.

* * *

“I feel like... I probably have a lot to apologize for,” Shirabu said quietly.  
  
Ushijima paused for a moment, and then finished adjusting the blankets up to the vice captain’s chin. Behind the hospital bed, a heart monitor let out a steady, electronic beep. “Why would you need to apologize for anything?”  
  
“I told Goshiki and Tendou to disobey you.” He looked away, and focused his gaze on the wall. “I just--”  
  
“No.” Ushijima shook his head, and sighed. “You were right to do that. I was blinded by my arrogance. Your decision saved everyone’s lives.” Guilt weighed heavy in his expression. “This case has taught me a lot, in that regard. It’s shameful that it took this for me to see how critically I was lacking. If anything... I should be apologizing to you, Kenjirou.”  
  
Shirabu flushed a little at the use of his first name, and laughed a little nervously. “Wow, I... I’m glad, honestly. Thanks. I’m just glad it went well and paid off in the end.” Sadness flickered in his warm eyes, and he looked away again. “I mean... there is one other thing, though.”  
  
Ushijima looked concerned. “What is it? Please don’t be afraid to speak your mind with me... I promise I’ll do my best to be more receptive, even if I haven’t been in the past.”  
  
“It’s just... my injuries.” He looked pained as he said it. “The doctor said... I probably won’t be quite as good with my left shoulder and right hand anymore... So you’d probably be better off with another partner now, right?” He didn’t even bother trying to hide his sadness, but tried to smile despite how obviously upset he was. “I don’t want to cause you trouble--”  
  
“No.” Carefully, Ushijima took his uninjured hand from beneath the blanket and held it in between both of his, his touch gentle and warm. “You are absolutely irreplaceable, Kenjirou. As long as you want to, you will still be my partner. Injuries or no injuries, you are always going to be priceless to me, both as a person and as a vice captain. I’ll be here with you every step of the way, through your recovery and beyond.”  
  
Shirabu’s smile became warmer. “Oh... I’m glad.” He laughed a little weakly. “Sorry, I guess I just... I don’t know. I don’t want to say that I thought I wasn’t important to you, because that’s too harsh, but maybe I didn’t realize... just _how_ important you think I am?”  
  
“I told Oikawa that I left a lot unsaid with you, and that’s another failing that I need to fix,” Ushijima admitted. He met Shirabu’s gaze head on, and gently caressed his hand with his thumb. “You mean the world to me, Kenjirou. The thought of losing you--” He paused, troubled by the memory of Shirabu’s screams, of the vivid imagery of the knife plunging into his shoulder. “It made me sick. I felt afraid in a way that I never have before.” He squeezed the vice captain’s hand gently. “I love you. From the bottom of my heart, Kenjirou. I love you.”  
  
Shirabu was breathless for a moment, caught off guard by the uncharacteristic vulnerability in Ushijima’s eyes. “I... I love you too, Wakatoshi. I’m...” Suddenly, his eyes began to brim with tears, and he looked away. “Sorry. I was scared -- I thought I was gonna die. I thought I was never going to see you again. I thought... I thought I’d never... get to tell you that. I was terrified.”  
  
“Being scared makes sense. Anyone would have been,” Ushijima said softly. “There’s an old saying, though, that courage isn’t the absence of fear -- but the ability to overcome it. And you did, in stellar fashion.” Carefully, he brought Shirabu’s good hand up to his lips, and placed a gentle kiss against his skin. “I’m proud of you, and endlessly thankful to have you in my life.”  
  
Shirabu smiled, his cheeks a rosy pink. “I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Wakatoshi...”  
  
“I can’t help it, with the way you make me feel,” Ushijima replied. “I’ve thought about all of this for so long, and imagined our first kiss a hundred times or more.”  
  
Shirabu grinned. “Did you ever think we’d kiss in a hospital?”  
  
For a moment, Ushijima seemed unsure of himself. “Is... it okay if we do?”  
  
Without warning, Shirabu grabbed him firmly by the collar, and brought him closer until their lips met. For a long, tender moment, they held the contact, their breaths warm and sweet against each other’s skin until Shirabu fell back against his pillow several seconds later with a dazed, pleased smile.  
  
“Yeah,” Shirabu laughed, his eyes crinkling with mirth and affection, “you bet.”

* * *

Yahaba sighed, and ran his hands through his hair. “He better get up soon. I miss him.”  
  
“Watari’s pretty cool,” Kunimi admitted, as he looked at the comatose man in the hospital bed.  
  
“Wow, coming from you, that’s pretty high praise!” Oikawa laughed. “Are you turning into a softie, Kunimi-kun?”  
  
“Tch, not even in your wildest dreams--”  
  
“Shh!” Kindaichi said suddenly as he gestured wildly. “I think -- I think he’s waking up!”  
  
The room went absolutely silent, and all eyes were on Watari as he wrinkled his nose -- and a moment later, agonizingly slow, he opened his eyes to find several familiar faces smiling down at him.  
  
“Welcome back, Watari-kun,” Oikawa said warmly.

* * *

“Most people take breaks when they’re recovering from near-fatal wounds in the hospital,” Oikawa said in a mock-stern voice.  
  
Hanamaki grinned. “Come on, you needed me, right? Besides, I was bored. And now that Vice Asshole Mizoguchi is down for the count, I’ve gotten easy access to his personal accounts and things he had hidden away. Got us a mountain of hard evidence now.”  
  
“He hasn’t slept in like twelve hours,” Kunimi said, “even though he’s totally exhausted. Look at him.”  
  
“Hey, don’t tell on me!”  
  
“Tsk, tsk! Go to _sleep_ , Makki-chan! What will Mattsun do if you make yourself sick, on top of everything else?” Oikawa chided.   
  
Matsukawa laughed. “Hey, like you’re one to talk. How much sleep have _you_ gotten lately?”  
  
Oikawa pouted. “Don’t turn this around on me, Mattsun! All of you need to get some rest. You too!” he said, pointing to Kindaichi and Kunimi. “Go home and get some real sleep! We’ve all got to be in good shape, especially so we can help Watari-kun now that he’s woken up from his coma!”  
  
“He’s still gonna be here for at least another couple weeks anyway,” Kunimi laughed. “I won’t object to a real nap on a bed, though. C’mon, Kindaichi, let’s get going. I’ll let you use my spare futon.”  
  
“Hey, don’t put on a show for us, we all know you won’t need the spare,” Hanamaki teased.  
  
“I don’t wanna hear that from you, old man,” Kunimi shot back. He turned away quickly, but Oikawa didn’t miss the faint blush high on his cheekbones. “C’mon, Kindaichi, I’m tired. I’m gonna sleep for like, 10 hours, at least.”  
  
Kindaichi dutifully followed after him with a fond smile. “Want me to draw up a hot bath for you first? I have one of those bath bombs you really like...”  
  
The door closed behind them, and Matsukawa gave Oikawa an understanding smile. “Hey, go spend some time with Iwaizumi now, all right? We’re all fine. You two need some recovery time, too. Give yourself a break from playing the noble captain for a little bit, okay?”  
  
Oikawa’s smile faltered a little, and suddenly, the dark circles under his eyes seemed even more pronounced. “...Are you sure?”  
  
“‘Course we are,” Hanamaki said gently. “Get going. We can all keep things running smooth enough for you and Iwaizumi to have at least a few days to rest, if not more, okay?”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes brightened with fondness and warmth. “All right. Be good, okay? Don’t miss me too much!”  
  
“Get going before we start making out in front of you,” Matsukawa teased.  
  
“Who says I would mind?” Oikawa winked.  
  
“ _Go_ ,” Hanamaki laughed, and with a wave and a genuine smile, Oikawa left the room a moment later.

* * *

Oikawa stopped for a moment when he caught sight of Shirabu and Ushijima just inside a room he was walking by on the way to see Iwaizumi.  
  
He peeked inside the doorway just a little more, curiosity mixed with a new, begrudging fondness. The room was quiet and still, and Ushijima was at Shirabu’s bedside. His arms were on the bed next to Shirabu, who was also asleep, and the injured vice captain’s hand was gently held between both of Ushijima’s as they slept.  
  
 _Cute,_ Oikawa thought with a sigh. _Well, he’s still an asshole. But I’m glad they’re both all right._ Quietly, he backed away from the door, and began walking toward Iwaizumi’s room.  
  
 _I hate to admit it, but I owe him one._

* * *

Iwaizumi was wide awake when Oikawa entered the room.  
  
“Hey, fancy meeting you here,” Oikawa grinned.  
  
Iwaizumi smiled a little at the bad joke. “You’ve only been gone for half an hour. It was great, though. Feel free to take longer next time so I don’t have to deal with you.”  
  
Oikawa gave him a playful pout as he came closer, and without even asking, Iwaizumi carefully moved over on the bed so Oikawa could sit directly next to him. “You’re so _rude_ , Iwa-chan! Well, I’ll let that one slide, since you were so dashing earlier.”  
  
Iwaizumi was quiet as Oikawa lifted the blanket over himself and got comfortable. Once he was done, Oikawa expected Iwaizumi to reach out and touch his hand, to make some kind of contact -- but he was strangely still and quiet, and wouldn’t meet Oikawa’s eyes.  
  
“...What do you think of me now?” Iwaizumi asked quietly after a moment. “Now that I’ve got Mizoguchi’s blood on my hands, I mean.”  
  
Quietly, Oikawa turned to him, and snuggled close as he gently nuzzled against Iwaizumi’s neck. “You’re brave,” he whispered into his ear, the sounds fuschia and deep blue with love and respect, “and you saved my life, Hajime.”  
  
“You’re not... bothered? He was our vice chief. We worked with him for years, and I just...”  
  
“Did what was necessary?” Oikawa finished softly. He sighed against Iwaizumi’s neck. “You pulled the trigger so that I wouldn’t have to. Not hesitating is understandable. He tortured you. He tortured Shirabu. He tried to kill Hanamaki and Matsukawa, almost killed Watari, and murdered even more officers than that. And when you found him, he was about to shoot me, too.”  
  
Iwaizumi laughed, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, well. Hey, but now the department will think _I’m_ the bad guy. We’ll both be pariahs.”  
  
Oikawa smirked. “Nope! Ushiwaka-chan’s headsets have cameras and recorders. Enough evidence to clear us and close the case.”  
  
“Well, that’s one thing off my conscience, then.” He turned to meet Oikawa’s eyes, and smiled a little more warmly. “You’re happy. Your voice is...”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes crinkled as he laughed, genuine and delighted. “Of course I am, Iwa-chan. We made it. Just barely, but I’m here with you. That’s what matters to me.”  
  
Something changed in Iwaizumi’s expression, like a wall had come crumbling down. “You’re an idiot,” he choked out, “and I’d punch you if I could.”  
  
Sadness and understanding, heavy with sympathy lit in Oikawa’s eyes. “Hajime? It’s okay.”  
  
“It’s _not_ okay.” He looked away and bit at his lower lip, but Oikawa didn’t miss the tears brimming at the corner of his eyes -- and a moment later, they began to trail down his cheeks. “I’m the _vice captain_ , for fuck’s sake. But I screwed up. I made a stupid mistake, and I was barely any help at all until the very end.”  
  
“Hajime, no.” Carefully, Oikawa moved even closer, and cupped Iwaizumi’s face with his hand. “Hey. We all made mistakes in this case. But we all came together, right? You saved us, in the end. If it wasn’t for you, Mizoguchi might’ve killed me. And if he killed me, he might’ve gotten the drop on you, Ushiwaka and Shirabu, too.”  
  
Iwaizumi tensed all over. “I couldn’t let that happen, Tooru, I-- that’s why I did it. I killed him because I couldn’t bear to watch you die. I just...” He forced himself to relax a little, and let out a deep, shaking breath. “Does it scare you?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. “That I’d kill for you? That I _have_ killed for you?”  
  
“The only thing that scares me is that you _had_ to, not that you _did_. I’m not afraid of you,” Oikawa said gently as he caressed his cheek. “I’m not disgusted, or angry. Truth be told, I just love you even more than I already did.”  
  
Iwaizumi looked back at him once more, his eyes wide with surprise. “...Seriously?” he asked with a strained laugh. “Are we really doing this in the hospital?”  
  
Oikawa grinned. “We’ve waited long enough, haven’t we? And it’s not like you didn’t already know. I love you, Hajime. I love you more than _anything_ , and I don’t care that you killed for me, because I would do the same thing for you too.” He smiled, but it was heavy with regret as he wiped a stray tear from Iwaizumi’s face. “I wish I could’ve done better. I wish I could’ve kept it from coming to that. You don’t deserve to bear the burden of Mizoguchi’s death. That failure belongs to me.”  
  
“Don’t confess and then change the subject so quickly, you idiot,” Iwaizumi grumbled. “You didn’t fail. You can’t say none of us are to blame and then blame yourself. Oh, and I love you too.”  
  
“Hey, don’t say that part like it’s an afterthought!” Oikawa protested with a playful pout. “I’ll forgive your bad attitude if you give me a nice kiss, though.”  
  
“Works for me, since I’ve wanted to kiss you for about half my life now,” Iwaizumi laughed. Almost immediately, his face turned bright red at Oikawa’s expression. “Shut up, okay, I’m on so much pain medication right now -- it just slipped out -- _shut UP_ , Tooru, I swear to god--”  
  
Oikawa was still chuckling as he turned his head just a little, and leaned closer until their lips finally met, tender and gentle. It wasn’t passionate, but warm and soft, filled with twenty five years of trust and affection.  
  
The seconds crept by, long and quiet, before Oikawa finally pulled back, just enough so that he could look Iwaizumi in the eyes. Fuschia and purple clouded in Iwaizumi’s vision as Oikawa spoke, and the vice captain felt his heart soaring higher than it ever had before.  
  
“I love you, Hajime. I always have, and I always will.”

* * *

_to be continued in chapter 9 -- finale._

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :) Thank you for sticking with me during the creation of this story. A few things came up, which is why this chapter is a bit late, among other things.
> 
> That being said, I hope you enjoy the finale. Feel free to talk to me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/Aetherdrive) or [tumblr](http://aetherdrive.tumblr.com)!
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your love and support ♥

“I can’t believe we have to take three weeks off,” Oikawa pouted as he sprawled on the couch beside Iwaizumi. “It makes sense for you, since you’re recovering from injuries, but I’m capable of working right now!”  
  
“Like hell you are,” Iwaizumi replied drily. “Irihata-san’s just looking out for us, and even if you weren’t injured, you were exhausted and saw some horrible shit. I know it’s hard, but try not to be a workaholic, just for a little bit. And that means no wearing yourself out studying languages, either.” He glared at him, but there was no real irritation behind it, and just a hint of playfulness. “I know taking care of me is annoying, but I’m sure you’ll manage somehow.”  
  
“Come on, Iwa-chan, you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Oikawa cooed as he fluttered his eyelashes. “I just feel weird if I go too long without doing stuff! I don’t remember the last time I was off for three entire weeks...”  
  
Iwaizumi looked at the wall, very pointedly not meeting Oikawa’s eyes. “Well, we can take advantage of the time off and do stuff together, then. Fun stuff. Things that aren’t work related. It’ll be like when you were recovering not too long ago, when you hurt yourself tackling that guy.”  
  
Oikawa’s answering smile was nearly blinding with its warmth. “Cute! But it’ll be even better now, right? Because we got our silly little confession out of the way.” He patted his lap, and grinned. “Let’s get a good start! Come here, Iwa-chan! I make the _perfect_ pillow.”  
  
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but carefully moved his body until his head was resting in Oikawa’s lap. “You are pretty comfortable,” he admitted, “but that’s not new to me at all.”  
  
“Mmm,” Oikawa hummed as he slowly carded his fingers through the vice captain’s hair. “That’s true. But now, I can do stuff like this, too...” Gently, he picked up one of Iwaizumi’s hands, and brought it up to his face. He pressed a soft kiss against his fingers, and his smile immediately grew wider at the sudden flush on Iwaizumi’s cheeks. “Hajime, you blush like a high schooler! How adorable!”  
  
“Shut up, you’re blushing too,” Iwaizumi grumbled. He pulled Oikawa’s hand down, and kissed it in the same way the captain just had, clearly embarrassed but smiling a little all the same.  
  
Oikawa’s cheeks grew redder, the fuchsia in his voice more vibrant than ever. “You’re secretly a romantic, aren’t you? I always knew!” He ruffled Iwaizumi’s hair with a musical laugh. “How about I sing something special for you?”  
  
Curiosity piqued, Iwaizumi snuggled closer. “...Sure, that’d be nice. What’d you have in mind?”  
  
“A song that’s always reminded me of you,” Oikawa answered with a tender smile.  
  
Iwaizumi felt his heart flutter. “...Yeah. I’d like that a lot, actually.”  
  
A moment passed as Oikawa closed his eyes and steadied his breathing -- and then he softly began to sing. Fuschia, purple and pink clouded Iwaizumi’s vision, swirling amidst bursts of blue and gold, and his cheeks grew just a little warmer as the words registered in his mind -- an old love song that he’d sometimes caught Oikawa listening to when they were younger.   
  
_Seems like we really were always meant to be... not that it’s all that surprising._ His eyes slipped shut as he relaxed into Oikawa’s warmth, and before he realized it, he was lulled to sleep by the soothing melody and currents of gentle color.

* * *

“Do you need any more pain medicine?” Ushijima asked gently.  
  
Shirabu shook his head. “No, I’m okay. Thanks, though.” Ushijima’s apartment was slightly chilled from the powerful air conditioning, but Shirabu was cozy in the captain’s enormous bed, with soft blankets piled on top of him. Ushijima put a warm cup of tea and a glass of water on the small table beside the bed, and dimmed the lamp before he sat down and watched Shirabu with tender eyes. Shirabu felt his cheeks warm just a little as a smile curved at his lips, and he put his book on the table so he could meet Ushijima’s gaze with his full attention. “What is it?”  
  
“You’re so brave,” Ushijima answered, his voice quiet with respect. “And I’ve learned so much from you since we started working together, but especially during the course of that case. I’ve always been honored to have you as my vice captain and partner, and now you’ve honored me again by being my boyfriend.”  
  
Shirabu hid the bottom half of his face with the blanket. “Blunt as ever, huh?” He smiled, and patted the space beside him. “Why don’t you... come lay down with me?” he asked softly. “Just... to be next to each other, I mean. It’s nice.”  
  
“Sure.” Carefully, Ushijima got under the blankets next to him, and snuggled close as he gently held his uninjured hand. For a moment, he didn’t speak, but neither did Shirabu; the vice captain could tell that Ushijima was thinking about something. The moment stretched on in comfortable silence, until finally, Ushijima found the words he was trying to say.  
  
“What do you see in me, Kenjirou?”  
  
Shirabu’s eyes widened a little. “Sorry... what? Are you serious?”  
  
“Yes,” Ushijima replied. “I’m not sure I understand what you see in me from a romantic perspective. I’m blunt and rude, and bad with feelings in general. What makes me appealing, then?”  
  
Shirabu laughed a little. “Well, you’re not as rude to me as you are to a lot of people, but you are pretty emotionally oblivious, yeah. And arrogant sometimes. But... there’s a softness to you, too. You’re not made of stone like everyone likes to think.” Socks jumped on the bed, and plopped down over Shirabu’s feet to take a nap; the injured detective smiled, but then turned back to meet Ushijima’s gaze once again. “Socks is a good example. That cat outside of the cafe is another. The animal shelter you donate to, as well...”  
  
“So you love me because I’m nice to cats?” Ushijima asked, clearly confused.  
  
Shirabu laughed again, musical and soft. “Well, it doesn’t hurt, but that’s not all, no. I don’t fall for every guy that happens to like cats, Wakatoshi. Give me some credit here.”  
  
“Oh,” was all Ushijima said in response, and Shirabu chuckled again. The sound made Ushijima’s chest feel warmer.  
  
“It’s not just one thing about you, you know. Every facet of you makes up who you are, the full package. The entire Wakatoshi experience,” he grinned. “You’re not ‘just’ an emotionally constipated guy, or someone who happens to like cats. You’re a lot of things.” He shrugged, and looked down at their hands as he stroked the back of Ushijima’s with his thumb. “From my point of view, you’re an incredibly skilled, hardworking detective. And you have walls that you’ve built up without realizing it, because people don’t see past that work persona. They think, wow, that guy’s an asshole! A talented detective, but an asshole nonetheless.”  
  
He snuggled closer, and continued to talk. Ushijima seemed enraptured by his words. “But there’s more to you than just your job. You’re dedicated because you love it, but because you hurt, too -- because people can’t see anything except Special Investigations Captain Ushiwaka. So you think your job is all you’re worth. Yes, I noticed, don’t look so surprised,” he smiled. “But there’s that softness to you, again. You like to take care of other people, and animals -- and you like to help them. You’re pretty funny sometimes, too, when jokes or Goshiki’s thinly veiled aggression goes right over your head,” he laughed. “You’re a good man. And a lonely one, sometimes.”  
  
“I’m not lonely anymore,” Ushijima corrected. His cheeks were a little pink. “You’re here. And so is Socks. And next time I see the cat at the cafe, I’ll ask him if he wants to live here, too.”  
  
“God, you’re really cute,” Shirabu grinned. He leaned over, and pressed a gentle kiss to Ushijima’s cheek. “I’m a lucky man.”  
  
Ushijima’s smile was warm and genuine. “So am I, Kenjirou.”

* * *

Oikawa anxiously checked his phone for what must’ve been the twentieth time since he’d walked into the office five minutes ago.  
  
“He’ll be fine, Oikawa-san,” Yahaba said gently. “Iwaizumi-san’s a tough guy. He can handle you being gone for a couple hours. Sorry to call you away from him, though. We had a ton of paperwork to deal with today while Irihata-san finds a replacement for Mizoguchi.”  
  
“No worries! We are a little short staffed right now, and helping out with some paperwork is the least I can do,” Oikawa said with a wink and a smile. “And it’s not like I can just leave you to deal with Shiratorizawa all by yourselves, right?”  
  
Kyoutani grumbled something unintelligible, and Yahaba sighed and scratched his head. “Well... yeah. Working with them feels... weird.”  
  
“My apologies,” came a deep voice from the doorway. “It’s only a temporary arrangement for now, until some of your detectives recover from their injuries.” Ushijima walked into the room, looking a little tired, but mostly like his usual self. “Semi, Kawanishi, Goshiki and Tendou will be here soon to help with some of your data work and small cases. I’ve told them to stay posted here for the next three weeks, unless something critical comes up in Shiratorizawa’s department.”  
  
Oikawa gave him smirk, mixed with smugness and a hint of barely-noticeable fondness. “I’m surprised to see you away from your Prince Charming’s side, Ushiwaka-chan. Isn’t he lonely without you?”  
  
Ushijima narrowed his eyes, but he was slightly embarrassed. “He’s fine. He took a nap when I left, and like you, I’m only stepping out of our apartment for a few hours.”  
  
Oikawa’s smile grew larger. “ _‘Our’_ apartment? My, my. Have things progressed so quickly?”  
  
Ushijima’s face turned slightly pink. “Oikawa, please. He’s not living with me, just... staying with me until he’s recovered. I’m just looking after him.”  
  
“Oh, come on, Ushiwaka-chan. That’ll change before too long, I’m sure. Aren’t you two always joined at the hip anyway? Aren’t you _dating_ yet?” Oikawa teased in a singsong voice.  
  
“...Yes,” Ushijima mumbled. “But that’s not what I’m here to talk about. I just wanted to let you all know the status of Shiratorizawa’s offer to lend you staff.”  
  
Oikawa’s expression became more serious, but his smile didn’t vanish. “Oh, I see. That’s fine, and we could use the assistance, but have you finally given up on telling me about how I should join your little department? Because regardless of whether this is a ploy for that or not, I never will. Let’s clear the air on it once and for all; this little band of misfits is my home, you know.”  
  
Ushijima cleared his throat, and behind Oikawa, Yahaba elbowed Kyoutani so that he’d stop staring so obviously. “I’m aware,” Ushijima said quietly. “And I’ve come to respect that. I’ve always respected you, which is why I wanted you to be a part of Shiratorizawa. But... I was foolish, I suppose,” he admitted. “Your pride is a strong part of who you are. And you’re a good man, and an even better detective. Seijou needs you, and it’s your home. There’s nothing wrong with that. The offer of assistance is given with no hidden meaning or motivation, I assure you.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes widened in surprise, and his smile grew larger and warmer. “Wow, Ushiwaka-chan, I never thought I’d see the day where you said something like that.” He put a hand on his hip and grinned playfully. “Well, even though Seijou is my home, I’m not... opposed to working together, in the future. Our departments... make a pretty damn good team, if I do say so myself.”  
  
Ushijima returned his smile. “Yeah, they really do. I’d be honored to work with you all in the future as well, even beyond the cleanup of the case,” he said with a polite bow.  
  
Yahaba looked over at Oikawa wordlessly; the eyes of everyone were on him, curious as to how he would react. A soft smile spread over his face, and he stepped forward and extended his hand towards the Shiratorizawa captain. “Sounds good to me, Ushijima.”  
  
Ushijima seemed caught off guard for a moment, as stunned as everyone else in the office at the use of his actual name, instead of the usual  _Ushiwaka-chan,_ before he reached out to firmly shake his hand. “...Thanks, Oikawa. I’m looking forward to it. Feel free to call me if you need anything at all, and even if I can’t help, I’ll make sure someone else does.”  
  
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he gave him a sharp salute.  
  
Oikawa paused for a moment, then smiled before returning it. Ushijima relaxed his stance, and looked a little apologetic. “I’m sorry, but I should get going now. I need to return home.”  
  
“Sure. And... tell Shirabu that I hope he recovers quickly,” Oikawa said quietly.  
  
Ushijima nodded. “Thank you. And give Iwaizumi my regards as well.”

* * *

Careful of the cast on his right hand, Shirabu toweled off his hair, and brushed it out of his eyes as he looked at his reflection in the foggy mirror.  
  
The long, hot shower had helped ease some of the lingering ache in his body. Two weeks of bedrest in Ushijima’s apartment had been nice, but he was ready to go outside sometime soon -- hopefully tomorrow -- even if he still wasn’t completely healed yet. _Maybe on a date...?_ he thought hopefully.  
  
He finished drying himself off, hung his towel on the wall, and got dressed in his borrowed pajamas with a sigh. _I hope I’m not being too much of a burden on Wakatoshi. He says I’m not, but... it still feels strange to be relying on him so much right now._ He smiled ruefully at his reflection. _Even though he insists it’s only natural, and that I’d do the same for him... Well, I suppose he is right about that, at least._  
  
After checking his reflection one more time, he left the bathroom and walked down the hallway. The apartment was oddly quiet -- was Ushijima still out on the grocery run he said he’d do while Shirabu was showering? He’d adopted the cat from the cafe the day before, and said he needed to buy food and supplies...  
  
 _Nope, his keys are on the counter, so he must still be here..._ Shirabu thought as he peered into the kitchen. _I guess he’s probably in his room, then?_   He walked back down the hallway, and hesitated for a moment as he reached out to the door -- _Is that... jazz music?_  
  
Slowly, he opened the door, and his eyes widened at the sight that was waiting for him. The lights were dimmed, and several red candles were on the dresser and shelves, gently flickering as Ushijima’s laptop played soft, gentle music. And on the bed was Ushijima himself, as sharply dressed as ever, with the sheets covered in red rose petals.  
  
“Um... hi?” Shirabu squeaked. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he felt his cheeks begin to burn. “Wow.”  
  
“Come here,” Ushijima said in a low voice.  
  
Slowly, Shirabu made his way over to the bed, and sat beside the captain with bright, curious eyes that crinkled at the corners as he smiled even more. “Wakatoshi, you’re full of surprises. You’re becoming more of a romantic with each passing day.”  
  
“Well, I did do some research,” Ushijima admitted. “When I called him, Oikawa suggested shoujo manga and romance novels. I think he was kidding, but--”  
  
Shirabu covered his mouth as he began to laugh quietly. “Oh my god. He was definitely kidding... well, probably.” He leaned closer, and met Ushijima’s gaze with a look full of adoration. “But don’t worry -- it’s nice. I like it a lot.”  
  
“You do?” Ushijima asked quietly, a hint of unusual shyness in his voice.  
  
“Yeah,” Shirabu smiled. “It’s beautiful. And it makes me feel special.”  
  
“You _are_ special,” Ushijima insisted. “I’m not good with this kind of thing... I don’t really have any experience,” he admitted. “But I want to try. I want to make you happy.”  
  
Shirabu nuzzled into the crook of Ushijima’s neck. “You do make me happy,” he replied. “You do.” Ushijima’s breath hitched in his throat a little at the contact, and Shirabu smiled to himself as he whispered into the captain’s ear, his lips brushing the other man’s skin. “What is it, Wakatoshi? Do you like me being this close?”  
  
“Yeah,” Ushijima said breathlessly. “Can I... Are you okay to--?”  
  
“I’ve healed a lot, and I’m not made of glass,” Shirabu grinned as he pulled away. He scooted to the middle of the bed, and laid flat on his back with a happy sigh. “I’m okay to do... whatever it is you had in mind,” he chuckled.  
  
Ushijima crawled over to him, and braced his hands on either side of Shirabu’s head as he hovered over him. “I want to do a lot of things,” he admitted.  
  
“Then show me,” Shirabu whispered.  
  
Ushijima’s kiss was warm and firm. Shirabu felt his heart beat just a little faster as the captain ran his tongue over Shirabu’s bottom lip, and a moment later, he gently nipped at Shirabu’s mouth before kissing him once more. Shirabu responded eagerly; Ushijima had been holding back since they’d closed the case, and the smaller man wasn’t about to waste the moment he’d been waiting for.  
  
Ushijima’s breath caught in his throat as he heard Shirabu moan quietly, and he broke away from his boyfriend’s lips to trail soft, wet kisses along his jaw, then down the length of his neck.  
  
That seemed to be something Shirabu enjoyed; he moaned again, breathless and just a little louder than before. Ushijima took it as a cue to continue, and he nipped gently at the sensitive skin, leaving a trail of sensation along Shirabu’s neck as he made his way up to his ear, where he gently nibbled at his lobe. “Do you like it?” he whispered huskily. “Do you want more?”  
  
“Please.” Without even meaning to, Shirabu grinded his hips up against Ushijima’s, and the captain moaned directly into his ear. “ _Please_ , Wakatoshi, I -- please, just... more... whatever you want...”  
  
“I want _you_ ,” he whispered. “I want you to take me, Kenjirou.”  
  
Shirabu’s eyes flew open, wide and surprised. “You want -- _really_?”  
  
“Yes,” Ushijima answered breathlessly. He rolled his hips against Shirabu’s as he met his gaze head on, and smiled. “If... you’re okay with it. I’d do all the work, but I want to feel you inside of me.”  
  
Shirabu felt lightheaded, and his cock ached with the flare of desire that had raced through his blood. “If you’re saying you want to ride me, my only answer is _hell yes_ , please.”  
  
“Thank you,” Ushijima whispered as he pressed another wet kiss to Shirabu’s neck.  
  
The vice captain’s airy laugh quickly turned into a moan. _Leave it to Wakatoshi to actually thank someone for letting him ride them..._ He ran his hands down Ushijima’s back, and chuckled. “You’re wearing too much clothing...”  
  
Ushijima paused, and pulled away thoughtfully. “Mm... but so are you,” he smirked. He sat up, his weight firmly resting over Shirabu’s hips, and loosened the tie at his neck with a flick of the wrist before carelessly throwing it behind him. Shirabu watched with hungry eyes as the captain methodically undid each button of his shirt, his gaze on the injured man the entire time.  
  
“Wow,” Shirabu whispered as Ushijima finally pulled off his shirt. He was like a model athlete, toned and muscular in a way most people would kill for. Dazed, he pulled his own shirt off over his head, slightly self conscious as Ushijima took in every detail of him.  
  
“You’re beautiful, Kenjirou,” Ushijima said reverently as he ran his hands over Shirabu’s chest. “Perfect.”  
  
Shirabu’s cheeks darkened. “I can’t believe _you_ of all people think that about _me_...”  
  
“How could I not?” Ushijima asked honestly. “You’re everything I could ever want and more, both physically and as a person... I’m a truly lucky man. Being in your presence alone is an honor, and _this_... this is more than I’ve ever even dreamed of.”  
  
“How can you say stuff like that without getting embarrassed?” Shirabu asked with a fond smile. “If anything, I’m... the lucky one...” he trailed off as Ushijima carefully shimmied out of his slacks, leaving the captain in nothing but his briefs.  
  
Shirabu’s eyes wandered down to the bulge in Ushijima’s underwear; his erection was straining against the fabric, and Shirabu couldn’t help but lick his lips at the sight. Ushijima noticed, and smiled. “Let me help you out of these,” he said as he plucked at the waistband of Shirabu’s too-large pajama pants. Shirabu nodded to give him the go ahead, and Ushijima smiled warmly as he carefully and gently slipped them down Shirabu’s hips, along with his boxers. “Are you feeling okay?”  
  
“Is my erection not enough of an indicator?” Shirabu grinned.  
  
Ushijima blushed in response; even the tip of his nose was a charming pink. “I just want to make sure. Please tell me if you want to stop, or if you’re hurting or uncomfortable in any way.”  
  
“I will,” Shirabu promised, “but that goes for you, too.” He raised his good hand to Ushijima’s face, and gently ran his fingertips over his jawline. “Honestly... I’m surprised that you want to, uh...”  
  
“Bottom?” Ushijima said. “Because of the stereotypes and lack of control associated with it, I assume.”  
  
Shirabu laughed into the palm of the cast on his broken hand. “Yeah, basically.”  
  
“Hmm.” Ushijima let his eyes roam Shirabu’s body as he thought. “It doesn’t bother me. I trust you, after all, more than anyone. So I can give up control to you.”  
  
Shirabu gasped a little in surprise, his gaze heavy with affection. “Wakatoshi, that’s... that means a lot to me. Thanks.” He cupped Ushijima’s jaw, and smiled tenderly. “If it wasn’t obvious already, I trust you, too.”  
  
“I know,” Ushijima murmured as he leaned down to trail kisses along Shirabu’s collarbone. “But it doesn’t hurt to hear it.”  
  
Shirabu giggled a little as Ushijima’s lips brushed against his skin. “A little ticklish,” he whispered. “Mmm...”  
  
Ushijima nipped at his skin, slowly making his way down Shirabu’s chest as he braced himself by holding onto the vice captain’s hips. He paused at his nipples, and took one of the dusky peaks into his mouth. Shirabu’s back arched a little as Ushijima sucked at the flesh and lapped at it with his tongue; he brought one of his hands up and gently pinched and rolled the other nipple in between his fingers to give them equal attention.  
  
A moan escaped past Shirabu’s lips, and his eyes fell shut as Ushijima kept teasing him, sending shocks of sensation racing through his entire body with a delicious heat. The captain rolled his hips again and firmly rubbed both of their cocks together, drawing a breathless gasp from both of them.  
  
“Do you like that?” Ushijima asked huskily. “Do you want more, Kenjirou?”  
  
Shirabu’s eyes were dark with lust. “Please,” he begged quietly, “please...”  
  
Ushijima nipped at his chest one more time before he sat up with a smile, and reached under the pillow for a small bottle and aluminum square. In one quick motion, he opened the cap on the tube, and coated two of his fingers in a generous amount of cool, slippery gel.  
  
Shirabu’s eyes grew a little wider as he realized what he was about to do, and he watched with rapt attention as Ushijima reached around to his own entrance. The captain let out a quiet sigh as the first of his fingers slipped into his heat, and he began to finger himself slowly while Shirabu watched.  
  
He fucked his hand at a steady, practiced pace, and soon added a second finger. The tip of his cock brushed against Shirabu’s, and the vice captain bit back a whimper of pleasure as he felt Ushijima’s precum against his skin.  
  
His blood ran even hotter as Ushijima added a third finger, and tilted his head back with a small moan as he thrusted inside of himself in a faster rhythm than before. After just a few seconds, he pulled out with a sigh, and impatiently tore the condom open before quickly rolling it down over Shirabu’s length. He followed it with a generous amount of lube, and Shirabu felt himself arch up into the touch as Ushijima slicked it over his aching erection.  
  
“Are you ready?” Ushijima asked almost reverently.  
  
“I feel like I should be the one asking you,” Shirabu replied breathlessly. “Yes, please, _yes_...”  
  
Ushijima nodded, and rose up a little on his knees. He touched Shirabu’s length firmly and guided it to his entrance, all while his partner watched, eager and flustered all at once.  
  
Shirabu bit his lip and gasped as he felt the tip begin to slide into Ushijima’s heat. But the captain didn’t continue slowly; as soon as the head of Shirabu’s cock was inside him, he dropped his hips, and buried Shirabu’s whole length inside of him suddenly and without warning.  
  
He only allowed himself a couple seconds to adjust to being filled before he began to move, starting with a slow pace and then picking up speed. Shirabu’s head fell back against the pillow as he moaned again, louder than before, completely lost in the waves of pleasure from Ushijima’s tight, slick heat.  
  
Ushijima’s thighs flexed as he continued rocking himself up and down, and he bit at his lip and grasped Shirabu’s hips a little harder. Their eyes met, and Shirabu saw something he was sure few others, if any, had ever had the privilege to witness -- Ushijima completely vulnerable, completely open, raw and giving the man beneath him every ounce of his trust.  
  
The captain’s cock smacked obscenely against his stomach as he bounced up and down, leaving a shiny streak of precum on his skin. Shirabu felt like his blood was made of fire and lightning, and a delicious tension was coiling up inside of him, like a dam was about to burst.  
  
“W-Wakatoshi, I’m--”  
  
Ushijima smiled down at him, even as a bead of sweat trailed down his face, his cheeks flushed and eyes dark with want. “Are you going to come, Kenjirou?”  
  
Shirabu moaned, felt the pressure building inside of him -- but he wasn’t going to just lie there and let his boyfriend do everything. “Yeah,” he replied breathlessly, “but so are you, right?” He reached forward with his good hand, and loosely held Ushijima’s cock as he began to jerk him off. “Come on, Wakatoshi. Come all over me.”  
  
Ushijima whimpered, and Shirabu felt his walls clench tighter around his cock as his movements became just a little less graceful. Shirabu kept stroking him, faster and faster, never breaking eye contact, and a moment later Ushijima froze up as he finally came across Shirabu’s chest in messy, pearly streaks.  
  
He was gasping for air even as he continued to ride Shirabu, but he didn’t have to for long; just a few seconds later, Shirabu closed his eyes with a deep breath as he was lost to his own orgasm. He moaned, loud and shaky as he came harder than he ever had in his entire life, and sagged against the mattress when he was finally spent.  
  
Ushijima was careful as he got off of him, and gently took the spent condom off of his boyfriend. Shirabu was too dazed to question the sudden loss of weight as Ushijima left the bed, but he returned a few moments later with a slightly damp cloth, and began to gently wipe down Shirabu’s chest.  
  
“C’mere,” Shirabu mumbled, sleepy and content.  
  
Ushijima chuckled as he put the cloth on the dresser, and crawled into bed. He snuggled close to Shirabu, and brushed a stray rose petal from his hair before bringing the blanket up over both of them, and couldn’t help but smile as Shirabu kissed the tip of his nose.  
  
“That was amazing,” he whispered.  
  
“Yeah,” Ushijima agreed quietly. “I really liked it. If... if you want to again, sometime...”  
  
Shirabu smiled, and trailed his fingertips across Ushijima’s cheek as he stared deep into his eyes. “Of course. Thanks for, uh... everything. I’m really... really happy.” Tears brimmed in the corner of his eyes, and he looked a little embarrassed. “Ah, sorry, I’m just -- I’m just really glad I made it, and that you still... want me around...”  
  
“Of course I still want you around,” Ushijima said seriously. “Regardless of your physical condition, like I said in the hospital, you are still priceless to me, as a vice captain, a friend, and my boyfriend too... I’ve learned so much from you. And I love you endlessly, Kenjirou.” He pressed a quick, chaste kiss to the other man’s lips, his face warm and his words full of sincerity. “I’ll be here for you every step of the way, for as long as you’ll have me. Nothing will change that.”  
  
Shirabu’s eyes glittered in the dim light. “I love you too, Wakatoshi. More than anything.”  
  
Ushijima’s entire face lit up with a gentle smile, and he snuggled in closer. “Let’s rest for a while, okay? And then we can go buy a collar and some cat food for Matcha, and schedule a checkup at the vet for shots and everything that he’ll need...”  
  
“Matcha?” Shirabu asked curiously. “Why’d you decide to call him Matcha?”  
  
“You’ll see when you catch him in the kitchen one day. He keeps trying to open my bags of green tea,” Ushijima chuckled. “I think he really likes it, and when I asked him if Matcha was a good name, he purred and nuzzled my hand.”  
  
Shirabu laughed. “You really are incredibly good with cats. It’s adorable. Wow... we’ll be like a family, won’t we.” His cheeks turned pink when he realized what he’d said. “I mean...”  
  
But Ushijima’s smile had only grown larger. “I like the sound of that, Kenjirou.” He gave him another gentle kiss on the cheek. “I love you. It feels nice being able to say that... I love you. I love you.”  
  
“You’re such a dork,” Shirabu grinned. “I love you too, Wakatoshi. More than I could ever say.”

* * *

“You’re going to spoil me if you keep buying these for me every day,” Hanamaki grinned.  
  
Matsukawa shrugged as he set down a bag full of cream puffs and a bottled milk tea on the bedside table in their room. “Works for me. Might as well treat this like a vacation, right? At least we don’t have to eat hospital food anymore,” he chuckled.  
  
Hanamaki already had a cream puff in his mouth when he nodded sagely in agreement. “True suffering,” he said melodramatically after he finished chewing. “Never again.”  
  
“What, were you planning on going back on purpose if the food didn’t suck?” Matsukawa teased as he sprawled out beside him.  
  
“Oi, give me a break,” Hanamaki laughed. He took another bite of the cream puff in his hand, and smiled as he savored the flavor. “God, that tastes good. I’m glad we’re all free of that place now.”  
  
“I’m just glad we all made it out in general,” Matsukawa agreed quietly. He clasped his hands together between his knees, and stared down at the floor; but he could feel Hanamaki’s eyes on him, so he continued talking. “Sorry... guess I’m still not over it yet.”  
  
“Hey, I don’t think anyone expects you to be, least of all me,” Hanamaki said reassuringly. “Half our department crippled, just like that... it was a hell of a case, and a lot of close calls.” He rubbed a soothing hand along Matsukawa’s back, right in between his shoulders. “It’s okay, though. We’re all okay, Issei.”  
  
Matsukawa sighed, and leaned in to the touch as he rested his head on Hanamaki’s shoulder. “Yeah. Sorry, I just...”  
  
“Had another nightmare?” Hanamaki asked softly.  
  
“...Yeah,” Matsukawa admitted. “Ugh. Feels stupid, though. It’s the fourth one in three days.”  
  
Hanamaki put the bag of cream puffs aside, and put an arm around Matsukawa’s shoulders to hold him closer. “Hey, it’s cool. I’ve had my fair share of ‘em too, you know. It’s probably pretty normal, considering what happened.” He nuzzled into the crook of Matsukawa’s neck. “Between that and all the physical therapy we’ll need, I don’t think anyone expects us to be back at one hundred percent yet, or for a while, honestly. Try not to beat yourself up so much.”  
  
“Easier said than done,” Matsukawa mumbled. But his frown turned into a small smile as he nestled closer to his boyfriend. “I guess we’ll figure it out, though.”  
  
“Damn right we will,” Hanamaki said as he pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Together, like we always have.”

* * *

“I never thought I’d say this, but I am _so_ thankful that Shiratorizawa is sticking their nose in our business,” Kunimi drawled before taking a long sip of his coffee before he popped a piece of salted caramel into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, and then sighed. “I’m exhausted.”  
  
Kindaichi hummed his agreement as they walked down the street; Kunimi’s apartment was only about five more minutes away. “The workload has been more intense, with most of the senpai out to recover... Oh, that reminds me, did you want me to pick up another bath bomb for you? You said you liked the Twilight one, right? I could get a few at once, this time.”  
  
“I... actually already ordered some more online,” he admitted. “They got to my apartment yesterday.”  
  
“Oh.” For a moment, they were both quiet as Kindaichi tried to find something else to say in the sudden silence. He was too aware of how close Kunimi was -- did he need to walk that close? Why was his ponytail so cute? Could he tell that Kindaichi really, _really_ wanted to hold his hand?  
  
Apparently he did, because a moment later, his reached over and twined their fingers together like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Hey... you can stay over again, if you want.” It sounded as casual as ever, but when Kindaichi looked over, he could see that the tips of Kunimi’s ears were a rosy pink.  
  
Not that he was much better -- his entire face had turned red, and his heart was beating so fast that he felt a little dizzy. “Uh! Yeah, that’d be... that’d be great, thanks.” _Oh my god. Oh my god? Wow. What! Did he really just?! He totally did. I don’t think it was an accident--_  
  
“You’ve got nice hands,” Kunimi said quietly as they continued walking.  
  
 _Definitely not an accident, then._ “Um... thanks. You too.”  
  
“Don’t be so nervous,” Kunimi drawled as they rounded a corner. “We’re way overdue for this kind of thing, right?”  
  
Kindaichi laughed a little bashfully. “Well... I guess you’re right about that. Pretty sure the whole department has teased us at one point or another.”  
  
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Kunimi grumbled.  
  
The rest of their short walk was spent in silence, with an unusual electric tension in the air. When they finally got inside Kunimi’s apartment, he beckoned for Kindaichi to follow him into his bedroom. “Here’s your pajamas from yesterday,” Kunimi yawned as he tossed a bundle of clothing at the other man. “Nap time. I’m not setting the alarm, either.”  
  
“Oh. What about the guest futon?” Kindaichi asked curiously as he took his shirt off.  
  
Kunimi turned away to change his own clothes, and shrugged as nonchalantly as he could. “Hanamaki-san had a point. We don’t really need it, do we?”  
  
“ _Oh_. I... I guess not? I’m kind of a... cuddler, though.”  
  
Kunimi pulled a loose, plain shirt over his head, and turned around with a small smile. “Good.”  
  
Kindaichi felt his face start to burn again. “Good? Uh... yeah, I guess.”  
  
“You’re way too nervous,” Kunimi chuckled as he crawled under the blankets. “It’s just me, right? We’ve known each other for ages now. C’mere.” With just a nod, Kindaichi wordlessly joined him under the blankets, and almost immediately, Kunimi was in his personal space as he tangled their legs together and snuggled close. “You’re so comfortable,” he mumbled against Kindaichi’s chest. “Should’ve done this ages ago...”  
  
After only a second of hesitation, Kindaichi gently wrapped an arm around the smaller detective’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Yeah,” he whispered against his hair. “Yeah.”  
  
“Hey... Yuutarou,” Kunimi mumbled, his voice thick with drowsiness, “go out with me?”  
  
Kindaichi felt his face burn all over again at the sound of his first name on Kunimi’s lips, bundled together with such an incredible request. “I’d like that a lot... Akira.”  
  
“Sounds good. And maybe later... let’s use one of those bath bombs. Bathtub here is big enough for the both of us...” He didn’t need to see Kindaichi’s face to know he was blushing, but chose to ignore it as he nuzzled against the taller man’s chest; seconds later, he had already dozed off with a content smile on his face.  
  
It only took Kindaichi a few more moments to fall asleep as well; he was warm and comfortable, completely at ease and happier than he’d been in a while. There, in the safety of Kunimi’s embrace, his stress melted away like it had never been there at all.

* * *

Oikawa peeked into the bathroom with a mischievous smile, only to see Iwaizumi staring right back at him, as if he’d expected the intrusion.  
  
“Oi, what’re you doing in here?” Iwaizumi asked with no real anger. “Go watch your stupid alien thing.”  
  
“It’s not stupid, and I don’t wanna watch it! I wanna take a shower with Iwa-chan,” he replied serenely.  
  
Iwaizumi smirked, and his hand played at the towel slung low on his hips. “Wow, so now we can add ‘perverted’ to the long list of your terrible character traits. Not that I’m remotely surprised.”  
  
“I don’t want a _naughty_ shower, as amazing as that sounds! I just think it’d be nice and domestic. Even you can be cute sometimes, and I bet you’d be doubly cute taking a shower,” Oikawa pouted.  
  
“I didn’t hear you deny being a total pervert, though,” Iwaizumi laughed. He laughed even harder at Oikawa’s indignant huff. “So predictable. Anyway, come on. The water’s already all warmed up.”  
  
Oikawa’s cheer of victory died on his lips as Iwaizumi turned away and took the towel off of his hips, leaving him completely naked. Suddenly, his throat felt far too dry, and after a moment of surprise he quickly stripped, not even bothering to hide the way his stare lingered over every part of Iwaizumi’s body. _The only proof I need that I’m the luckiest man alive is right here in front of me. God is real, and the evidence is Iwaizumi Hajime._  
  
Seeing him step into the shower, and the water falling over every inch of his skin spurred Oikawa to action. He stepped closer as the bathroom began to fog up a little from the steam, and felt some of the water hit him as well as he got up close and personal.  
  
“Iwa-chan makes it hard to behave when he’s so sexy,” Oikawa murmured with a smile.  
  
Iwaizumi angled the shower head to spray directly into Oikawa’s face, and the captain spluttered and flailed indignantly as his partner began to laugh. “Shut it with the embarrassing compliment and pass the shampoo, Shittykawa,” he grinned, his voice full of fondness. “Or I’ll spray you again.”  
  
“Come on, Iwa-chan, that’s way too harsh!” Oikawa pouted as he grabbed Iwaizumi’s shampoo. “Here, let me wash your hair, even though you’re the most ungrateful man in all of Japan.”  
  
Iwaizumi snorted, but closed his eyes as Oikawa squirted shampoo onto his fingers and began to delicately massage his scalp. “Feels nice,” he murmured.  
  
Oikawa hummed and continued the motions, and after a minute, gently tilted Iwaizumi’s head back into the stream of water so he could rinse his hair. He continued humming as he worked a little bit of conditioner into the other man’s hair, and Iwaizumi let himself enjoy the colors of his voice dancing in his vision and the tingle that Oikawa’s fingers left on his scalp.  
  
Wordlessly, Oikawa reached for the washcloth hanging on a small hook on the shower wall, and rubbed some liquid soap into it before gently scrubbing along Iwaizumi’s shoulders and arms. “Does it still hurt?” he asked quietly, his touch light and careful as he cleaned the area over Iwaizumi’s new scars.  
  
“...It aches a lot, usually,” Iwaizumi answered. “But it’s a lot better since I left the hospital.”  
  
“Does it help when I touch it like this?” Oikawa asked.  
  
“...Yeah,” Iwaizumi replied. “It’s... it’s really nice, actually. Do you... want me to do all of this for you, too?”  
  
Oikawa smiled warmly at him as he began to rinse Iwaizumi’s skin and hair. “Only if you want to, Hajime. But I definitely wouldn’t say no.”  
  
“Gimme the shampoo.” He squirted a small amount into his hands, then glanced back up at Oikawa with a squint before practically covering his palm with it.  
  
“Hey, I don’t need _that_ much!” Oikawa pouted. But Iwaizumi just chuckled again as he reached forward and gently began to lather up his boyfriend’s hair, and Oikawa felt like his stomach was full of butterflies at the sound and surprisingly gentle touch.  
  
They stayed like that for several minutes as Iwaizumi carefully washed his hair and body, and despite his earlier promise, Oikawa couldn’t help the fact that his heart started beating a little bit faster when he felt the weight of Iwaizumi’s fingers against his hips.  
  
Soon enough, Iwaizumi wasn’t even touching him with the washcloth; he was just trailing his fingertips over Oikawa’s skin, drawing invisible patterns like he was entranced.  
  
“You’re making it... _really_... hard to behave, Hajime,” Oikawa whispered breathlessly.  
  
Iwaizumi met his eyes with a mischievous smile. “Maybe I don’t want you to.”  
  
Oikawa let out a shuddery breath, and his eyes fluttered as he felt more of his blood rush south. He brought his own hands up to rest on Iwaizumi’s hips, and pulled him closer; they both gasped as they felt themselves rub against one another, clearly both excited by the situation. “Hajime...”  
  
“Let’s get out of the shower,” Iwaizumi said quickly, his voice rough with desire. “C’mon...”  
  
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Oikawa replied with a smile full of anticipation as he reached over to turn the water off. Iwaizumi was already out of the shower and reaching for a towel; he threw one at Oikawa, and hastily dried off before making a beeline out of the bathroom.  
  
“Hey, wait for me!” Oikawa pouted. “Iwa-chan!”  
  
“Take it easy, I’m getting something from my room,” he called back.  
  
Oikawa hummed to himself, and dried off a little more before flopping down onto the bed. When Iwaizumi came back a couple moments later, he was propped up on one arm, and looked completely relaxed. “What’ve you got there, hmm?” Oikawa asked curiously.  
  
“Nothing,” Iwaizumi mumbled, obviously self conscious and he carefully climbed onto the bed beside his partner. “It’s a surprise.”  
  
“Ooh? I like surprises,” Oikawa smiled. He grinned as Iwaizumi put aside whatever he’d been holding onto; the vice captain immediately moved over Oikawa, straddling him shamelessly and pinning him to the mattress as he leaned in so close that their noses touched.  
  
“Tooru,” he whispered, his voice rough with need, “Can I kiss you?”  
  
Oikawa’s expression was soft with affection and raw, open trust. “You can do anything you want to me, Hajime.”  
  
Without missing a beat, Iwaizumi rolled his hips forward, grinding their cocks together with a shaky smirk. “Anything?”  
  
“ _Anything_ ,” Oikawa insisted breathlessly.  
  
Iwaizumi closed the last few centimeters between them, his lips warm and still wet from the shower. It wasn’t tender and gentle, like their first kiss -- this one was full of hunger, something Iwaizumi had been restraining for longer than he cared to admit. Oikawa reciprocated immediately, gasping quietly as he reached up to grab gently at Iwaizumi’s hair, his fingers curling firmly in his dark locks.  
  
Iwaizumi ran his tongue over Oikawa’s bottom lip before gently biting at it, and when Oikawa moaned quietly beneath him, red-violet bright in his vision, he rolled his hips again with a smirk before leaning down to trail kisses along Oikawa’s jaw, down to the sensitive skin of his neck. Oikawa’s blood ran hotter the moment he felt Iwaizumi’s lips against his skin, and a moment later, the vice captain gently sucked with his teeth and left a wet kiss over the tender area.  
  
“H-Hajime...” Oikawa moaned quietly.  
  
“You like that?” Iwaizumi whispered into his ear. “Tell me, Tooru. Do you want more?”  
  
“W-wow, I never imagined you’d be a tease,” Oikawa replied breathlessly. “I do... I do want more...”  
  
Iwaizumi smiled with fondness and exasperation. “Mouthy even when you’re completely naked. How unsurprising. And before you give me some kind of quip about putting your mouth to good use, maybe next time. I’ve got another idea for now.”  
  
Oikawa’s eyes were hazy with lust. “Were you... _planning_ this, Hajime?” he asked, a small smile curving at the corners of his lips.  
  
“Not... on purpose,” he muttered. “I just... thought about things sometimes.”  
  
“You _fantasized_ about me,” Oikawa moaned, his cock twitching a little at the thought. “ _Hajime_... Do whatever you want. Make your fantasies come true,” he said with a lazy smile.  
  
Iwaizumi felt himself throb at the rosy tone of Oikawa’s words. “In that case,” he whispered against his mouth, “let me do something to myself before I start with you.”  
  
Oikawa watched with fascination as Iwaizumi grabbed for two of the items he’d tossed to the side of the bed -- a bottle of lube (only half-full, Oikawa noted with interest) and a small vibrator. “You’ve thought about this for a long time, haven’t you? And practiced on yourself...?” he asked, his eyes dark with lust. He reached up to his own chest, and idly began to play with his nipples. “Mmm... have you thought about fucking me a lot, Hajime? Are you going to take me with that vibrator in your ass?”  
  
“You’ve got a filthy mouth,” Iwaizumi remarked with a slightly embarrassed grin as he coated the entire toy with a generous amount of lubricant. Wordlessly, he rose up on his knees, and Oikawa watched eagerly as he carefully worked the tip into his tight hole. His eyes fluttered as he forced himself to relax and slowly pushed more and more of the toy inside, until it was completely buried inside of him.  
  
He took hold of the small remote attached to the base by a short, thin wire, and pressed a button -- and couldn’t help but moan a little, canting his hips forward as it began to vibrate inside of him. “Hey,” he whispered, his voice deep and breathy all at once, “get on your knees and face the wall.”  
  
“Ohh?” Oikawa smirked. “Mm, okay. As you wish.” He turned over and braced himself on his elbows, and wiggled his hips in a tantalizing motion, his ass right in Iwaizumi’s face.  
  
Iwaizumi took a deep breath. _No sense being embarrassed. We’re already naked, and life’s too short to let opportunities go by..._ He reached forward with his hands, and gently grasped Oikawa before spreading his cheeks wide enough to see every part of him.  
  
He leaned forward, and placed a kiss on Oikawa’s soft skin before gently nibbling at his right cheek. Slowly, he worked his way closer and closer to the center in a trail of kisses and soft bites, until finally, he flicked his tongue forward to taste Oikawa’s hole.  
  
Beneath him, Oikawa’s back arched with the sudden flood of sensation, and he gasped in a mixture of surprise and lust. “H...Hajime, oh my god--”  
  
Iwaizumi licked again, slower this time, and dragged his tongue firmly over his flesh; he savored the musky flavor, and leaned in closer to continue lapping gently at the puckered skin. Oikawa shook faintly beneath him, and tried to contain himself -- but when Iwaizumi’s tongue slipped inside of him, he keened with pleasure.  
  
He couldn’t help but thrust back onto Iwaizumi’s tongue, and they built up a sloppy rhythm as Iwaizumi thrusted quickly into him, tasting as much as he could. A bead of precum fell from Oikawa’s cock onto the sheets, and it took all of Iwaizumi’s self control not to moan; his own dick was already so hard it nearly hurt.  
  
Iwaizumi pulled away, panting a little as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “Get on your back,” he whispered hoarsely, “I want... I want to see your face when you come.”  
  
When Oikawa turned around, he was treated to the sight of Iwaizumi pouring a generous amount of lubricant onto his fingers. Sweat had beaded all over his face, and his cock was flushed with desire. “Hajime...” he mumbled, “you look _delicious_...”  
  
His flush grew darker. “Not as delicious as you taste,” he smiled. “Relax for this... tell me if I’m going too fast, or you need me to stop.”  
  
“I’m not delicate,” Oikawa promised. “Please--”  
  
He nodded, and carefully began to circle Oikawa’s entrance with his slippery fingers, teasing and exploring. Oikawa covered his mouth with one hand, and the other gripped at the bedsheets as he tried to stay quiet. A breathy moan slipped past his lips when Iwaizumi finally pushed his first finger inside, and he tensed reflexively.  
  
“Relax into it,” Iwaizumi murmured as he pushed in deeper. He shivered as the vibrator continued its ministrations inside of him, and tried as hard as he could to ignore his aching erection. “More?”  
  
“Yes,” Oikawa breathed. He pushed back on Iwaizumi’s finger with a shaky smirk, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but smile.  
  
“Cheeky as ever, even when you’re like this... go figure,” he said with exasperated fondness as he carefully worked a second finger inside. Oikawa sucked in a deep breath as Iwaizumi gently began thrusting with both, scissoring him to stretch him out more and more.  
  
“I’m ready,” Oikawa insisted quietly, his voice a little petulant. “Give me more, Hajime...”  
  
Iwaizumi laughed a little, and pulled his fingers free before reaching for a condom. “Needy,” he joked as he opened the package and carefully rolled it down over his length. He bit his lip as he covered it with a generous amount of lubricant, and leaned forward to line up with Oikawa’s entrance.  
  
As soon as he began to press in, Oikawa licked his lips, and gave up on trying to watch. His head fell back against the pillow as he shut his eyes, and as Iwaizumi slowly pushed forward, he began to breathe more quickly, determined to relax.  
  
It seemed to take forever, but finally, the vice captain was buried in him to the hilt. The faint tremors of the vibrator carried over to Oikawa, and he moaned, shameless and loud, as Iwaizumi pulled back to thrust forward once more.  
  
Iwaizumi raised Oikawa’s legs up to rest on his shoulders, the captain’s thighs grasped firmly in his hands as he started to move faster. Oikawa moaned again, louder than before, and the hand covering his mouth fell to his side as he began to rock back against Iwaizumi’s thrusts. His blood felt electrified as Iwaizumi filled him over and over, the pace relentless and only getting faster.  
  
“What happened to all that dirty talk?” Iwaizumi teased breathlessly as he pounded into his tight heat. “Cat got your tongue, Tooru?”  
  
Oikawa smiled up at him, eyes blown dark with wanton lust. “Oh, you _liked_ that, Hajime? Want me to -- _ah!_ \-- do it some more?”  
  
“Yeah, I liked it a lot. Give me your best filth,” he smirked. A bead of sweat rolled down his face, and he snapped his hips forward again with a small gasp.  
  
Oikawa moaned again, louder and keening with pleasure. “Hajime-- does it feel -- _ah_ \-- does it feel good to fuck me like this? How -- how many times... have you touched yourself to this fantasy? Are you gonna make me come first?” He smiled at Iwaizumi, almost delirious with lust. “Or are you gonna finish inside me before that?”  
  
“You’re gonna dirty up that pretty face of yours before I come,” Iwaizumi promised breathlessly. He felt a pressure building up inside of him, heat coiled low in his gut, but he used every ounce of willpower to hold back as he thrust in, harder and faster. He smiled as Oikawa moaned again; he could see the tension building in his boyfriend’s muscles, and knew he was near his limit, too. He let go of one of Oikawa’s legs, reached forward, and began to jerk him off, his hand still a little slick from the remnants of the lube, as he kept ramming into him.  
  
“H- _Hajime_!” Oikawa cried. His mouth hung open as he gasped for air, and Iwaizumi could see his eyes roll back a little before he squeezed them shut. “I’m-- I’m gonna--”  
  
“Come? Do it. Let me -- _ah_ \-- let me see it. Come for me, Tooru.”  
  
Oikawa’s body tensed up more as Iwaizumi kept thrusting into him, and his back arched as the dam finally broke. His mind went completely blank as thick jets of his come shot over his chest, and one long streak landed right on his cheek. Dazed, he stared up at Iwaizumi, who wasn’t far behind -- two more thrusts, and he was done. His toes curled with the force of his orgasm, and he went completely quiet aside from an almost inaudible gasp as he milked every last drop from inside himself.  
  
Oikawa had gone totally still, completely blissed out as Iwaizumi pulled out of him and took the vibrator out of his ass. He wobbled a little as he tied the condom off and threw it in the wastebasket, and quickly wiped both of them down with a small hand towel before collapsing beside Oikawa.  
  
Oikawa wasted no time in cuddling up to him, and gently nuzzled at his face with a tired, content smile. “Wow, Hajime... I’d give that a solid 11/10. And for our _first time_ together, too.”  
  
Iwaizumi huffed out a small laugh. “Well, I’m glad I could earn the approval of the incredible Shittykawa.”  
  
Oikawa pouted playfully. “Don’t call me such a rude name in bed! Besides... you’re so _dirty_ , Hajime.”  
  
Iwaizumi grinned and gave him a soft kiss. “Like you’re one to talk.”  
  
He felt his heart skip a beat as Oikawa smiled at him, warm and genuine in a way he never was with anyone else. “Thank you, Hajime.”  
  
“For... for what?”  
  
“For trusting me,” Oikawa said quietly, his smile still bright and radiant. “For being comfortable enough to do this with me. For always being here. For... everything.”  
  
“Stupid,” Iwaizumi grumbled as he blushed and hid his face in the crook of Oikawa’s neck. “You don’t have to thank me for that. It’s a given. You’ve done all the same for me, anyway.”  
  
Oikawa laughed, musical and fuchsia in Iwaizumi’s eyes as he gently ran his hands through the vice captain’s short hair. “Well... like you said, it’s a given, right? You’re my partner. My best friend. The love of my life.”  
  
“You’re so disgustingly cute,” Iwaizumi mumbled. He smiled despite himself, though, and pulled the blanket up to their chins. “We should take another shower, I guess.”  
  
“Later,” Oikawa whispered drowsily. “For now, let’s just... stay here, for a moment.”  
  
“Mm.” Comfortable in Oikawa’s embrace, it was all too easy to let his eyes fall shut -- and moments later, they were both asleep in each other’s arms, a little safer from their nightmares and the world outside.

* * *

“I’m sorry.”  
  
The words were heavy on Oikawa’s tongue as he looked at every member of Aobajousai Special Investigations, gathered in the office for his and Iwaizumi’s return.  
  
“I learned a lot during this case,” Oikawa continued, “but the price was almost far too heavy to pay. It _was_ too heavy, as far as I’m concerned,” he admitted. He cringed, a crack in his well-worn facade that let some of his frustration and self-loathing slip through. “You deserve better--”  
  
“Nah, shut up,” Matsukawa interrupted. “Look, I get feeling like you screwed up, but the fact is, the blame’s not all yours to take.”  
  
“He’s right, you know,” Hanamaki agreed. “And as far as Mizoguchi goes, like... _nobody_ realized just how much of an asshole he was. Not even Irihata-san.”  
  
Oikawa shifted uncomfortably and opened his mouth to continue talking, but Yahaba stepped forward and started speaking first. “Sorry, Oikawa-san. I don’t like disagreeing with you, and I respect you a lot. But they’re both right. Nobody in this office blames you. We’re all alive, and your actions put an end to the case. You coordinated with not only us, but with Shiratorizawa, despite the difficult circumstances and the massive amount of pressure.” He bowed deeply, and spoke without meeting his eyes. “You were everything a captain should be, and more. None of us think less of you -- if anything, we think more highly of you than we did before. I’ll still follow your lead anywhere, anytime.”  
  
Iwaizumi put a hand on Oikawa’s shoulder, and nodded. “They’re right, you know. A mistake here or there isn’t going to tear us away from you. We’re all only human. So loosen up a little, all right? We all still like you... even if you have a terrible personality.”  
  
Amidst the laughter of the other detectives, Oikawa pouted and slung an arm around Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “Iwa-chan, you’re so mean! I’m an angel sent from heaven, and you know it.”  
  
“More like a demon from the darkest pits of hell,” he grumbled with no real malice.  
  
Oikawa grinned, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek --  
  
And every single officer in Special Investigations saw it.  
  
“Called it!” Hanamaki crowed. “You owe me another massage, Issei.”  
  
Iwaizumi felt a throb in his temple. “Wait, _what_? Were you _betting_ on us?”  
  
“I thought for sure it’d take at least another month of teasing,” Matsukawa sighed dramatically. “But Takahiro guessed right. Damn.”  
  
Oikawa shook his head with a sigh as Iwaizumi shook with barely contained irritation. “How _crude_! Well, that’s okay, right Iwa-chan? At least our beloved kouhai would never do something like this, right, Kindaichi...chan...”  
  
Kindaichi looked up guiltily just as he handed Kunimi several small pieces of salted caramel. “Um! This isn’t what it looks like!”  
  
“It’s totally what it looks like,” Kunimi drawled. “Sorry, Oikawa-san. We’ve betting on you two for ages.”  
  
Oikawa was still gaping in amazement as Matsukawa started laughing. “Oi, what about _you_ , Kunimi? You and Kindaichi hook up yet? Takahiro and I have a bet going on that, too...”  
  
“Matsukawa-san!” Kindaichi spluttered.  
  
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Kunimi replied casually. “I confessed the other day when we were about to take a nap. We sealed the deal with some celebratory making out when we woke up.”  
  
Kindaichi turned bright red, and Hanamaki sighed. “Damn, Issei. I guess that makes us even. I’ll cook dinner for the next two days.”  
  
“This has got to be the gayest police department in all of Japan,” Yahaba laughed.  
  
“Watch out,” Matsukawa grinned, “you and Kyoutani are next on the list.”  
  
Kyoutani made a noise somewhere between a growl and an embarrassed shriek, and Yahaba quietly put his face in his hands as Kindaichi patted him consolingly on the head.  
  
Oikawa smiled and reached over to hold Iwaizumi’s hand, and the vice captain squeezed his fingers reassuringly. “It’s good to be back, right?”

“Yeah,” Oikawa grinned. “It feels like coming home.”

* * *

It took a while before the overwhelming weight of the press finally died down, and even longer for Seijou Special Investigations to really get back in the swing of things.  
  
But they had help. Aside from each other, Shiratorizawa had their back too -- and likewise, they helped Shiratorizawa from time to time as well. It was an alliance nobody had ever really expected, but was more than welcome as their departments recovered from the most personally devastating case they’d ever had to deal with.  
  
Iwaizumi looked over at Oikawa, who was nestled close against him on the couch, a huge blanket wrapped around both of them as they watched Oikawa’s favorite documentary. The captain glanced back at him, a warm, genuine smile on his face as he gently held Iwaizumi’s hand.  
  
“I love you, Hajime,” he said, his voice a rich and vibrant fuchsia. He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “More than anything.”  
  
“Even more than this documentary?” Iwaizumi joked as he kissed him on the tip of the nose.  
  
“Well, I _guess_ ,” Oikawa said teasingly. “But... really,” he said, “I...”  
  
“I love you too, Tooru,” Iwaizumi replied, dark eyes warm with affection. “And I respect you more than anyone, I _trust_ you more than anyone... you mean the world to me.”  
  
Oikawa twisted and launched forward to wrap his arms around Iwaizumi’s neck, sprawled out on top of him like he’d been so many times over the years. “Right back at you, Hajime.”  
  
“I know it’s hard to bounce back,” Iwaizumi said quietly, “but I’m here at your side. All of Aobajousai is... and Shiratorizawa, too.”  
  
“Yeah,” he agreed. “We’re back, and better than ever.”  
  
Iwaizumi leaned forward to kiss him, slow and tender. “You and me, Tooru. Let’s keep making the world a better place, one day at a time.”  
  
Purple and fuschia swirled in Iwaizumi’s vision, and the light in Oikawa’s smile was nearly blinding.  
  
“Damn right.”

* * *

“No matter how dark the night, morning always comes, and our journey begins anew.” --Lulu, FFX

 

[onward to glory]

 


End file.
